December 13, 2019
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
A few weeks ago, I requested from Pope Francis a temporary medical leave from my ministry as Bishop of Lincoln. The pope has granted my request, and, effective immediately, I will be on a leave of absence, to be treated for a set of related medical problems.
I would like to share with you some information about my health, because of the friendship I share with so many of you, because I do not want you to worry unnecessarily, and to avoid any speculation about my absence.
I also want to tell you about my health because I hope, in some small way, to help lift the stigma of mental health issues.
I have been medically diagnosed with depression and anxiety, along with chronic insomnia and debilitating tinnitus, which is a constant ringing of the ears. For months, I’ve tried to work through these issues on my own through spiritual direction, counseling, and prayer. It has been difficult to accept that my mental health problems are real health problems, and not just a defect of my character, especially during a year of difficulty for our diocese.
But the truth is that depression and anxiety are real psychological problems, with medical causes, requiring medical treatment. For me, those problems have been coupled with physical symptoms: lack of energy and exhaustion.
My doctors have directed me to take a leave of absence for medical and psychological treatment, and to get some much-needed rest. After prayer, and seeking the counsel of my spiritual director, my brother bishops, and my family, I have accepted the medical necessity of a temporary leave of absence.
I will be at a diocesan retreat facility in the Diocese of Phoenix, thanks to the kind invitation of Bishop Thomas Olmsted, while I undergo the best psychological and medical treatment available to me.
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