This initiative was launched last week by deacons in San Bernardino, and is staffed by deacons (and sometimes their wives and deacon widows), along with religious and lay volunteers. It’s a kind of spiritual “helpline” for people who just need someone to talk to.
This is how this service appears on the diocesan website:
We know that this time of pandemic is very stressful and filled with worry for many of us. We turn to our faith in God in these moments and sometimes talking and praying with a brother or sister in faith is just what we need to ease our mind when we are struggling. The sharing of our faith and the accompaniment of one another on the journey is a core value of the Diocese. If you would like to talk, pray or otherwise faith share with a representative of our Local Church, please respond to the email address below and leave your contact information. May God bless you.
Please contact us at: spirituallistener@sbdiocese.org
This strikes me as a great idea.
The project is just a few days old. At present, it has volunteers able to pray with callers in English, Spanish and Korean.