By Jessica Goebel
How did you ring in the new year? Was it with enthusiasm and renewed motivation to finally achieve that resolution? Or was it with a bit of dread, knowing that said motivation faded by mid‑January — or sometimes even earlier, if we’re being honest?
No matter how you begin the year, it’s important to remember that wellness looks different for everyone. For some, it’s diving into a new project at home or a new workout routine. For others, it’s finally opening that book that’s been sitting in the “to be read” pile for far too long. And for others still, it’s simply finding a few quiet moments to enjoy a cup of coffee and say a morning prayer. Whatever helps you feel grounded and whole — that is wellness.
Yet many people struggle with wellness, especially when it comes to mental health. As awareness grows, so does our desire to understand how we can better support ourselves and one another.
With this in mind, the St. Cloud Diocesan Mental Health Ministry team was created in 2022 with a mission to accompany individuals and families experiencing mental health challenges, as well as their caregivers, loved ones and pastoral leaders. Today, the ministry provides support, resources and spiritual accompaniment to help ensure no one walks their journey alone.
Guided by our diocesan values of hope, mercy and justice, the team focuses on education and formation in the mental health space, hosts spiritually supportive events such as the annual Suicide Remembrance and Healing Mass, and develops additional resources for our diocesan community.
In alignment with the theme for our 2026 Annual Appeal, “Hearts of mercy: Agents of compassion,” we invite you to extend mercy this year not just to others, but also to yourself. This can take many forms: practicing positive self‑talk, staying hydrated, choosing foods that nourish or prioritizing restful sleep over restless screen time.
Introducing the Mental Wellness Challenge Passport
If you’re unsure where to begin, the Mental Health Ministry team is excited to share a new tool to support your journey. The Mental Wellness Passport was created to offer intentional, practical wellness tips in a simple, tangible format. This “passport” brochure serves as a practical monthly guide to help you build habits that support your mental, physical and spiritual well‑being.
Ways to Use the Mental Wellness Passport
- Personal accountability tool: Use the passport as part of your own wellness journey. Each month offers a reflection or activity that can complement your existing health practices.
- In parishes, schools and ACCs: The passport can be a meaningful resource for local communities, helping build connections and raise awareness of how our whole‑person health influences our mental wellness.
- Work wellness culture: Consider gamifying the passport by offering small incentives for completing monthly challenges. Staff can submit their names after completing each month’s activity, and you might hold quarterly or annual prize drawings. When we launched the passport last year among the diocesan staff, we adopted the game model, offering prizes such as wellness gift baskets and even a healthy lunch with Bishop Neary!
If you want to make mental wellness your resolution this year, use the passport as your launching pad. Print your copy here. And be on the lookout for our monthly Mental Health Minutes – practical tips to help promote awareness and provide additional resources – which will be published in the Friday Feed the last Friday of each month.
Interested in starting a Mental Health Ministry in your parish or school? Contact mentalhealthministry@gw.stcdio.org or visit stcdio.org/mental-health-ministry to learn more. In crisis? Call, Text or Chat 988.
Above photo: Social Concerns intern Lexi Torres shares a healthy lunch with Bishop Patrick Neary. Lexi won the staff challenge for completing the monthly goal. (Photo submitted)