In the Philippines, a television host who lost his youngest daughter to suicide last year accepted a Catholic priest's public apology for homily remarks that had minimized depression — and in doing so, transformed a moment of institutional misstep into an opening for genuine dialogue. Kim Atienza, whose grief has become the foundation of his mental health advocacy, received Fr. Jowel Jomarsus P. Gatus's acknowledgment not as a victory but as an invitation. The exchange reminds us that the spaces where people gather to find hope must also be spaces where suffering is named honestly, and that ac
Kim Atienza accepts priest's apology, calls depression remarks a chance to save lives
Atienza's youngest daughter Emman died by suicide in 2025, motivating his continued mental health advocacy.