Diocese
A Transformed Diocese Needs Transformed Priests
Through the integrated pillars of Human Formation, Mental Health and Healing, and Spiritual Growth, Chrism can transform your presbyterate. Imagine a solution for:
- Burned out pastors
- Divisions between the chancery and the presbyterate
- Authentically Catholic mental health solutions that meet the unique needs of priests
- Trained spiritual directors for all priests in the diocese
Chrism Fraternity and Leadership Cohorts
Over the course of a few years, all priests in the diocese can take part in groups that form authentic fraternity while providing real human formation around personal growth the development of leadership skills.
Mental Health and Healing
Chrism provides your diocese with a dedicated staff psychologist who provides an ongoing partnership to provide evaluation, treatment, and consultation for struggling priests. Starting with an initial assessment of a priest’s mental health, spiritual life, and leadership skills, we help create a rehabilitation and treatment plan. The goal is to support most priests to remain present in their diocese and be supported by their brother priests and avoid sending them away to expensive (and often ineffective) treatment centers.
Spiritual Direction
Dioceses in the Chrism network have access to our inter-diocesan network of spiritual directors so that all priests can have access to effective spiritual direction. Priests take a spiritual temperament assessment to match them with compatible directors to maximize spiritual growth.
Seminary and Religious Life Assessment
Chrism psychologists offer comprehensive for applicants for seminary and religious life as well as for clergy and religious who are in need of an evaluation as part of a rehabilitation program.
Candidate Assessment
Our comprehensive assessments can be customized to fit your needs and address the following areas:
- Overall mental health
- Sexual integration
- Addiction potential
- Human formation and relationships
- Identity development
- Boundaries
- Leadership potential
Clergy Assessment
Research shows that priests have the same rate of mental health struggles as the general population, but understanding and treating them can be complex given their unique vocation. Chrism assessments can help you avoid costly treatment centers and identify a rehabilitation plan for a priest or religious to improve:
- Decreased burnout and compassion fatigue
- Rekindle joy in their vocation
- Deepen their interior life
- Heal the relationship between the person and one’s bishop or superior
Our rehabilitation plans include a detailed path for:
- Necessary mental health care
- Human formation and fraternity
- Identifying spiritual supports (e.g., spiritual directors, retreats, etc.)
- Improving skill deficits in leadership and pastoral ministry
