Spring Issue 2013 How I Discovered ACT an Interview with Cheryl Marsh
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InterACT Online Association of Christian Therapists: Where God and Healthcare Meet Spring Issue 2013 How I Discovered ACT An Interview with Cheryl Marsh InterACT sat down with outgoing President Cheryl Cheryl: In my family, nursing was the fam- Marsh, PMNCNS-BC, APRN at the ACT In- ily profession of my stepmother and back ternational Conference on Saturday, October 6, 2012. several generations. I had three choices— * * * * teacher, secretary, or nurse. As a senior in InterACT: Many thanks, Cheryl, for making high school, I had no interest in any of the time from your busy schedule to chat, so let’s alternatives, so nursing was it. get right to the point. How long ago did you join ACT? InterACT: Did that please your family? Cheryl: Hmmm, let me think. I believe it Cheryl: Not really. My interest was in psy- was about 23 years ago—1989. chiatric nursing, and my stepmother thought ACT Immediate Past-President Cheryl Marsh that wasn’t real nursing. And she made no InterACT: Why was that? InterACT: And how did that happen? secret of her disappointment. Cheryl: My religious training began when I Cheryl: Goodness, we have to go back a long InterACT: So far, we’ve covered up until was nine. My stepmother turned me over to way for that. 1981 of your youth. We’ve still got eight the nuns and within three months I had re- years to cover before we get to 1989 and how ceived baptism, first confession, communion, InterACT: Are you willing? you came to join ACT. and confirmation, including the ritual face-slap. The nuns wanted to make sure I got caught Cheryl: Yes, joining ACT has been a major : Right. So, when I was just out of Cheryl up with the other children my age, and that’s milestone in my life, but first you need to high school and attending nursing school, I why they rushed me through. But despite the understand a little of my childhood. met a divorced man—13 years older—who unorthodox beginnings, my faith is what has already had four children. We decided to get gotten me through the “rocky roads” of being I come from a broken home. I was raised married outside the church, and that made a divorcee, a single working mom, and a stu- in the New London, Connecticut, area. My me even less popular with my parents and dent still pursing a career in psychiatric nursing. parents divorced when I was five; I now found relatives. It wasn’t long before we had a child But something was missing, and when I heard myself in a foster home for two years. My fa- of our own—a son—but the marriage lasted about a healing prayer Mass in New Haven, I ther was in the Navy and after the divorce both only four years. So for 10 years after my decided to check it out. parents remarried. I lived with my father and divorce, I was a single parent while also work- stepmother. I went to Catholic high school ing on my undergraduate degree and Masters. InterACT: When was this? in New London and then to the Saint Francis During those single parent years, it became Hospital School for Nursing and graduated in increasing clear that I was in need of some Cheryl: 1981. I had just met at work this nice 1968. Later I received an undergraduate de- serious emotional healing. So in about 1979, protestant man named Ben, and we decided gree in Nursing from the University of Hart- a friend of mine from school told me about to attend together. Well, to say the least, we ford in 1979, followed by a Masters Degree in a book by Francis MacNutt about healing. It were both surprised at what we heard and Nursing from Yale in 1981. took me a while, but I finally finished it and saw. I had never seen anything like it, and was completely blown away. Ben wondered out loud, “What is this?” All InterACT: How was it that you chose to be a nurse? Continued on page 3 President’s Letter ............................................. 2 Little Miracles ...........................................12 The Holy Spirit in Clinical Practice .............. 4 Healing Mission to Madagascar .............15 Inside: Report from the ACT IC ............................... 6 Revelation Gifts .......................................16 A Call to Dialogue .......................................... 8 InterACT l 1 Editor’s Note ........................................ 17 InterACT From the President Published Quarterly by the Association of Christian Therapists (ACT) by Robert T. Sears, S.J., Ph.D. As I gain experience in St. Francis’ prayer true: “It An Interdisciplinary Fellowship of Christian Healthcare Professionals and Associates the presidency, it is ex- is in giving that we receive.” citing to see the many This is simply a rephras- The Association of Christian Therapists (ACT) gifts that God has ing of Jesus’ word, “the 6728 Old McLean Village Dr., McLean, VA 22101 given to ACT mem- measure you give will be the PH: 703-556-9225 ext. 118 Fax: 703-556-8729 bers to build up and measure you get, and still ACT Email: [email protected] empower one another more will be given you.” to bring Jesus’ healing (Mark: 4:24, RSV) PUBLISHER and hope to a hurting Douglas Schoeninger, Ph.D. world. As Jesus said I mention my experience EDITOR to the disciples – “the to encourage others. The Mike MacCarthy harvest is great but feedback our leadership is the laborers are few. getting is that it is difficult CONTRIBUTORS Pray the Lord of the to get “volunteers” for Mary Chakkalackal, Denise Dolff, Toni Doyle, Father Paul Fielder, Kathy MacCarthy, harvest to send out positions that are opening Mike MacCarthy, Cheryl Marsh, Carolyn Plant, laborers into his field.” (Matthew 9:37-38) up, like coordinators in some regions, or Douglas Schoeninger, Father Robert Sears, and This is our call, to witness to Jesus’ minis- chairs of some committees. Another word the office staff of Degnon Associates, Inc. try of healing in healthcare as sign of the for “volunteer” is “one who says ‘yes’ to The vision of ACT is to be an international, Spirit- in-breaking of God’s kingdom among us. a call” (from the Latin: volo, I will). Like led Christian community of healthcare profession- the disciples who heard Jesus’ call to carry als, clergy, and associates equipped to extend the To do that we need to let God’s healing out the work he was sent to do, a volunteer healing presence, heart, and mind of Jesus Christ to work in us first. We cannot give what feels a push to offer his or her gift of time their colleagues, patients, clients, and institutions. we have not received. ACT for me has and talent to further Jesus’ work of healing The mission of ACT is to support ACT members with resources to achieve this vision, including been a place where I have grown. I’ve and to support others who are doing the healing prayer, mentoring, education, and training, been in ACT since 1981, over 30 years. same. God is the one who initiates, and fostering their spiritual and professional growth. Through discussion groups I’ve grown in the volunteer responds. It is a call to give InterACT is the primary periodical (quarterly) news- understanding and experiencing genera- in response to a gift, and in the course of letter of the Association of Christian Therapists. It contains a variety of educational and spiritual tional healing and alternative medicine ap- giving, more is given the giver. “To each is articles and editorials that are pertinent to the proaches and have sought to clarify them given some manifestation of the Spirit for implementation of the vision and mission of the in light of Jesus’ healing. I have partici- the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, Association. pated in a growth group conducted by our RSV) With every gift, whether it is Mary’s ACT member Serafina Anfuso and have motherhood or Jesus’ redemptive work, We invite your comments/suggestions, written thoughts, or submissions. We reserve the right to been introduced to Theophostic prayer God intends it for the common good, for edit submitted articles without notice. Your name and other forms by ACT members. everyone who is willing to receive it. can be withheld by request in InterACT, but must be included with a contact phone or email when As I grew spiritually, I was able to bring As I experienced, one has to grow into your article is submitted. We also request that a current digital “headshot” photo of you accompany that healing to those I counsel and direct that sense of call. The mission of ACT your submission. spiritually. I could give something back and is to help members do that in order that perhaps help others. I could be persuaded they, in turn, can help others and especial- Send submissions to: to become coordinator of our region 12 ly bring Jesus’ healing to healthcare. Ulti- InterACT Email: [email protected] for several years, and when I retired from mately Jesus, as Son of God, is the source teaching, I could join the ACT Board and and goal of all healing so we are simply Copyright © 2013 by InterAct and the Association of Christian Therapists. All rights reserved. Any take part in several committees like the letting Jesus use us to ground healthcare reproduction without written permission is strictly Healing Manual Team and the Ecumeni- in the spring of all healing. The more we prohibited. All past and current members of ACT cal Relations Committee, and I could write do that, the more we ourselves will experi- are considered members-at-large of InterACT staff.