This quote from the “golden-tongued” Father of the Church is much needed in a world where finding a safe place to heal can be so hard to come by. The image of the Church as a hospital can help us bear the weight of our own imperfection; always striving to grow while not being swallowed by our shame, fear, and self-blame. As we partake of the sacramental medicine, in combination with undoing emotional and psychological barriers to healing, we can more fully carry the weight of our humanity. In contrast, the daily assault of solutions and false promises offered by the world around us often seek to exploit our vulnerabilities rather than build them up.

Secondly, this image explains why being hurt by members of the Church carries with it an extra layer of pain. It truly terrorizes the human heart to suffer at the hands of the people entrusted with your healing. A sober reminder that as we walk (and sometimes crawl) towards health, we must strive to offer compassion, empathy, and mercy to those around us who may bump into our rough edges or who have been hurt by others.

From a clinical perspective, we recognize that healing occurs in environments where safety, structure, and support are present. The Catholic Church—through the sacraments, community, and tradition—offers a framework for psychological and spiritual integration.

Much like a therapeutic setting, the Church invites individuals to confront areas of dysfunction, attachment wounds, and maladaptive coping mechanisms—not with condemnation, but with compassion and grace.

Recovery from trauma, anxiety, and shame often requires both psychological insight and spiritual grounding. The Church can function as a stabilizing context where people experience containment, repair, and hope.

You don’t need to be “fixed” to belong. Healing is not a prerequisite for participation—it’s the process the Church exists to support.

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* The information provided is for self-enrichment and not intended to replace any necessary mental health treatment.⁣

Warmly,

Jonathan Dixon, LMFT
Alpha Omega