Supporting the Holistic Well-Being and Flourishing of Clergy
Through Care, Community, and Spiritual Support for Those Serving in Ministry
Championing and Empowering Seminarians
Walking with Those Preparing for Ministry—Intellectually, Emotionally, and Spiritually
Advocating for Mental Health and Disability Inclusion
Promoting Awareness, Compassion, and Justice for All Who Live with Mental Illness or Disability
Providing Charity to Those Awaiting SSI Adjudication
Interim Support During the Prolonged Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") Determination Process
Being in Prayerful Solidarity with the Homeless Mentally Ill
Proclaiming Christ Among Us in the Most Vulnerable
Working Toward Comprehensive Safety Net Reform
Pushing for Structural Reform to Protect the Vulnerable
Celebrating Religious Scholarship
Honoring Theological Learning and Serious Engagement with Sacred Truth
Clergy Care Collective is a 501(c)(3) public charity, founded in Chicago but with a nationwide reach, dedicated to championing those in, or preparing for, Christian ministry—especially individuals facing mental health challenges. Rooted in the firm conviction that ministry is both a sacred calling and a deeply human endeavor, we affirm the profound need for pastoral care in a world burdened by trauma, isolation, injustice, and spiritual hunger.
We recognize that the call to serve is often answered by those carrying wounds of their own, and we believe that, through Christ, these wounds can become sources of empathy, grace, and healing for others. We uplift the truth that ministry, at its best, transforms not only the lives of those served but also the hearts of those who serve.
Our mission is to promote the holistic well-being and flourishing of seminarians, clergy, and all who devote themselves to the work of spiritual care and leadership. We focus especially on those committed to serving communities affected by mental illness, helping to foster resilience, compassion, and a deep sense of vocational purpose. In a time when stigma still silences too many, we offer a space of affirmation, honesty, and hope.
Through advocacy, fellowship, and resources, we empower transitional and permanent deacons, pastors, priests, bishops, and seminarians to thrive spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically—so they can extend their care to others with courage, clarity, and grace.
We are also committed to celebrating religious scholarship, building a vibrant network of theologians, Hebrew Bible scholars, historians of Christianity, pastoral care theologians, ethicists, liturgists, and others whose work reflects and informs the ongoing relevance of the Gospel in our world. Their voices enrich our mission and ground it in intellectual integrity, tradition, and insight.
We draw strength from the Church’s call to solidarity with the vulnerable, the dignity of every person, and the imperative to build a more just, merciful, and loving world. In all things, we strive to be a light—reflecting Christ’s presence in the lives of those who serve and suffer, and cultivating a future where clergy are sustained, strengthened, and set free to offer their fullest gifts.
Clergy Care Collective is steadfastly rooted in the Gospel and in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.


Clergy Care Collective
6541 N. Francisco Ave., #1
Chicago, IL 60645-4568
matthew@clergycarecollective.org
Clergy Care Collective is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in Illinois by its Executive Director, the Rev. Matthew González, J.D, and its board on December 26, 2024. On June 29, 2025, Matthew applied for trademark status on the name "Clergy Care Collective" and the banner, which Clergy Care Collective's Creative Director David Lembeck designed. The application is pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Text of this website is copyright 2025 by its Executive Director, on whose ideas the website is based. ChatGPT 4o assisted in making some sections pithier, and also assisted with Latin citations and citations to papal encyclicals.