Catholic couple brings the love of family to young people with mental illness

Austin and Catherine Mardon, a Catholic couple, have dedicated their lives to helping young people with mental illnesses. Austin has schizophrenia and Catherine has PTSD. Both are writers, and their personal experiences have led them to work on behalf of individuals with mental illnesses who often lack a family and live on the streets.

The Mardons met Pope Francis at the general audience on November 6. They were inducted into the Pontifical Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, a papal Order of Knighthood, for their work with the disabled in 2017. Catherine, a native of Oklahoma, recalled a teacher's words: "We don’t help people because they’re Catholic, we help people because we’re Catholic and we’re called to do it."

Austin, an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of Alberta, was part of a NASA meteorite recovery expedition to Antarctica in the 1980s. The grueling conditions affected him mentally and physically, leading to his diagnosis with schizophrenia at age 30. Despite his challenges, he earned master’s degrees in science and education, published articles and books, and obtained a PhD in geography.

Catherine, previously a lawyer focused on social justice issues, including death row appeals, was brutally attacked while testifying in a case, leaving her with physical injuries, a traumatic brain injury, and PTSD.

The Mardons discovered that many children and young adults with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) do not receive early intervention due to poor family situations or loss of parents. As a result, they often end up in foster care and, when they age out of the system, on the streets. To address this issue, the Mardons took in some of these teenagers and young adults into their home and extended support to other young adults suffering from mental illness. They organize parties for them and invite them over for holidays.

The Mardons emphasize the importance of recognizing the equal human dignity of mentally ill individuals and taking them where they are. They encourage others to support young people with mental illness, particularly older adults who may not have children or whose children have grown. While charities provide financial support and resources, these individuals often miss out on practical advice and the chance to form healthy relationships with others.

The Mardons stress that mental illness is not a character flaw that can be solved by prayer, but rather requires effective treatments through medication and therapy.