Denver, Colo., Oct 24, 2017 / 14:51 pm
The growing problem of teen suicide is one that should be met with prayer and efforts to help young people develop healthy use of social media, said Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver in a recent column.
"Suicide by teens in Colorado is tragically on the rise," Archbishop Aquila said in an Oct. 24 column for the Denver Catholic.
"In 2014 there were 50 students who took their own life, but in 2015 the toll rose to 72 and remained elevated with 68 in 2016," he noted, pointing to several local middle school and high school students who committed suicide at the beginning of this school year.
As the community struggles to make sense of these increasing tragedies, it is important to address the role of social media and its effect on teens' sense of self-worth and struggle with suicidal thoughts, he said.