Marilyn Williams, BCC, has joined St. Mary’s Health Care System in the newly created role of Director of Spiritual Care.

Williams brings to St. Mary’s more than 25 years’ experience in healthcare management and spiritual care experience. She most recently served as director of Spiritual Care at Franciscan St. Francis Health in Indianapolis, Ind. Prior to that, she was director of pastoral care at St. Mary’s Health in Evansville, Ind., and served as a chaplain at Catholic Health Initiative Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Williams completed her chaplaincy training, formally known as Clinical Professional Education, at Alegent Health in Omaha, Neb. She earned her Master’s degree in theological studies from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala. 

Prior to embarking on her journey in spiritual care, Williams worked for 20 years in cancer research and healthcare management. She felt her call to ministry through her

relationship with the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, Ala. She became an Oblate, which is a lay associate, of Sacred Heart Monastery, also in Cullman. 

“I’m excited for this opportunity with St. Mary’s,” Williams said. “I’m here to be an active listening presence and to continue expanding and enhancing our Mission of being a compassionate and transformative healing presence in the community.” 

Williams noted that spiritual care is much more than religious care. Hospital chaplains are available to help people of all faiths – and none – as they cope with illness and the spiritual challenges it brings. 

“Healthcare must address the whole person – mind, body, and spirit,” she said. “Spiritual carefacilitates the finding of meaning and purpose. For example, one person may find great meaning in nature, and has been a hiker or a gardener but now has an illness that makes that no longer possible. That can be a spiritual crisis for the person. The chaplain is here to help the person explore how she or he may now find meaning.”

In addition, Williams is looking forward to working with medical residents – the first group of whom start providing care at St. Mary’s on July 1 – better address the spiritual and emotional needs of their patients. She is well-qualified for the task: her experience includes helping to develop a curriculum  in integrative and holistic medicine for physicians.

The position of Director of Spiritual Care was created to increase access and enhance services provide through St. Mary’s pastoral care and chaplaincy program. For more information, visit www.stmarysathens.org or call 706.389.3273.