"Where is God When Somebody Dies by Suicide? An Updated Consideration of Divine Mercy and Justice"

The Catholic Church's long-standing condemnation of suicide is well known. However, now that we have more of an understanding of mental illness and distress, more Catholics recognize the need for greater mercy and support for suicidal people.  This talk will outline this recent shift and show that it will enable us to cultivate a more robust appreciation of divine love. At the same time, this shift also calls upon us to have a greater understanding of how social structures and mores have the power both to harm and to help support suicidal people. In this way, then, this shift also pushes us to discern what suicidal people are owed, as a matter of justice.