Mary Ann Brischetto smiles brilliantly each time she shares one of her deeply felt thoughts about parish nursing as we talked at her office in the church. She said at the conference, "It's the easiest thing in the world because it is the sharing of God's unconditional love. It's an incredible way to share nursing skills and education with respect for each one as the child of God."
Brischetto is a Roman Catholic who has been on the staff of a United Church of Christ in St. Louis for the last five years of her thirty-year nursing career. As part of her work, she participates in The Positive Family Program, which is breaking down walls in the community. She is just as likely to be praying in an alley as she works with gang members as she is to be bridging faith and health issues with parishioners.
Brischetto discussed what she might say when she's called by the police to go someone's home. "Do you say you're a parish nurse?" she asked. "Nobody knows what that is. You are there because of God. Now do you say that when you are at the door? That's not what it's about. But if you have the purpose inside of you, and you're filled with that, then it just works. It doesn't matter what you call yourself."
