Catholics are known for being unabashedly pro-life. But a committed group of Catholics in Indiana is adding another dimension to that idea, by shedding light on one of the darkest corners of human life, and one many don’t like to talk about: suicide.

From the Catholic Moment newspaper in Lafeyette, Indiana:

Wearing T-shirts that read “For the Love of Kyle” and “Out of the Darkness,” more than 250 men, women and children walked around Fowler Town Park on Sept. 16 to raise public awareness of suicide.

It was the third annual Out of the Darkness walk.

Community participation began after 11-year-old Kyle Schluttenhofer, a student at Sacred Heart School, took his own life.

“Every year we have at least one suicide that affects the entire community,” said Terri Goodman, Sacred Heart principal and event organizer. “The suicides have not stopped, so we cannot stop raising awareness. Our goal is to keep this fresh in everyone’s mind and to let people know that there are resources available, that they are not alone, and that there is support.”

The walks help the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) by raising money for research and education programs to prevent suicide, increasing national awareness of depression and suicide, and assisting survivors of suicide loss.

“My son was only 11,” said Susan Schluttenhofer, Kyle’s mother. “I don’t believe at that age he really comprehended what he was doing. This is something that’s not talked about, and my goal today is to make sure that kids are educated, so that they know that if someone talks about (suicide), that they need to tell someone. I also think it’s important to educate teachers and administrators, so that they know what signs to look for.”

According to national statistics provided by AFSP, someone dies by suicide about every 16 minutes in the United States. It is the fifth-leading cause of death among those age 5 to 14 years and the third-leading cause of death among those age 15 to 24.

Benton County has the highest suicide rate in Indiana.

“I would say that most people in our community have been affected by suicide in one way or another,” Goodman said. “We want to get beyond the stigma of suicide and to help people understand that there are resources out there, not just here in Benton County, but all over the state.”

Funds raised through this year’s walk will benefit a survivors’ support group and response team, and Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training for teachers, administrators and first responders to help identify people who might be at risk.

“I lost my mom (to suicide) just over five years ago,” said Ashley Lamie-Higgins, a participant and teacher at Benton Central High School. “I’m here to help support families who have been through this, and also to help aid in prevention.”

Lamie-Higgins will participate in QPR training, something she believes is an important step in helping spread the message that support is out there, she said.

“The support of my family, of the support groups, and being involved in this event has really helped me to get through the loss of my mom,” she said. “I hope that through this, people are encouraged to seek help if they need it.”

Community resources are a key to prevention.

“When people are aware of available resources, they are more apt to reach out and talk to someone,” Goodman said.

“One great benefit of this walk and the training we’ve received is that students have approached administrators or counselors with concerns about friends, whereas before, they may not have,” she said. “It just builds awareness — especially in the kids — to know that if someone is even talking about it or mentions it, that it’s important to tell someone about it.”

“In my years of teaching religious education and at Sacred Heart, I have lost three students to suicide,” said Teresa Gretencord, an event participant and volunteer. “When Kyle died, we just all decided we have to do something about this. We’ve got to get more people on board — that is one of our goals here today.”

Continue reading at the link for more on the warning signs of suicide, and what you can do to intervene. You can also visit the Out of Darkness website for more information.

Photo: from the Catholic Moment