Depression Survivor: Archbishop Raymond Roussin of Vancouver, British Columbia

Archbishop Roussin's motto is "Steadfast in Faith." Yet, his battle with clinical depression deeply tried his faith.

In 2005, Archbishop Roussin took a leave of absence after being diagnosed with clinical depression. After admitting to people he was in distress, Roussin took about five months off to slow down and recuperate at a health and retreat center in New York.

In a 2006 interview with the Canadian Salt and Light Television network, he said that there were risks in going public.

“Bearing the title of archbishop, there are a lot of expectations placed on the title, on the person. This I knew, that by making it public, some people might be scandalized, and they probably were,” Archbishop Roussin said.

“My faith was deeply tried. Throughout this whole time I kept trying to pray. And by trying to pray, you are praying, but to me it was dark,” Archbishop Roussin said. “‘Where are you my God?’”

“There’s this popular notion that happiness is always proportional to closeness with God,” said “Catholic Focus” host and associate producer Kris Dmytrenko, who conducted the interview.

“So when a Christian admits depression, he worries others assume he isn’t praying regularly or he doesn’t appreciate his salvation,” Dmytrenko said. “Worse still, perhaps others will see his depression as evidence that religion is useless. If faithful, accomplished leaders like Archbishop Roussin didn’t confront these myths, they would continue unabated.”

The archbishop said that in the midst of his journey through depression he received countless letters of support.

“Christ says ‘it is when you are weak, I am strongest.’ And this is what has happened with all the letters I received,” he said.

Archbishop Roussin told reporter Douglas Todd that he is dedicated to combating the myth that people who are close to God don't experience depression. Depression, he says, is an illness that needs to be treated. To balance his mind, body and spirit, he goes for a 45-minute walk each morning from his church-owned residence in Shaughnessy. And he's pumping iron at a gym twice each week. "I weigh 140 pounds, and it's all muscle, literally," he says, amazed at his own fitness.