Catechetical Ministry’s Sheryl Coronel on Radio Veritas’ “God Will Make a Way”
Sheryl Coronel, co-coordinator of the CTK Catechetical Ministry, was interviewed last August 6 on the Radio Veritas Saturday morning show, “God Will Make A Way”, an apostolate run by Catholic psychologists and psychospiritual counselors to minister to people who have been victims of abuse and
psychotrauma. Many among the show’s listeners are women and children from abusive homes; individuals recovering from drug addiction; victims of crime; and others who suffer from different forms and degrees of mental and emotional illnesses.
Sheryl gave a first-person testimony on her own personal struggles against anxiety disorder, which began since childhood. She spoke of irrational fears that progressed through her adolescence and early adulthood making her doubt the love of God. Commiserating with the show’s audience, Sheryl spoke of her own feelings of hopelessness then, of searching for meaning and healing in other religions, and of her straying from the path of virtue and grace. Experiencing pregnancy issues compounded Sheryl’s misery, which led to her developing hypochondria, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Sheryl confessed that she reached the depths of ‘spiritual poverty’ before God opened the gates of his mercy for her. She witnessed her own remarkable spiritual healing through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. She discovered personal joy through Eucharistic adoration during daily Masses. And Sheryl found a deep well of loving support in the Christ the King Parish community. Her life story, Sheryl admitted, has truly been one of hope, redemption and recovery.
From her own life experience, Sheryl gave the following advice to people suffering from mental illness:
1 Stay in a state of grace. Sin makes people vulnerable to spiritual oppression or demonic attacks.
2 Receive the sacraments often as food to strengthen the soul with the life of God.
3 Do not be in a hurry to recover. Trust the Lord’s timing. Impatience to be well too soon can only increase anxiety.
4 Be in a community that loves God. Surround yourself with people who have a strong faith in God who will help strengthen yours.
5 Serve others. Hell is the perpetual contemplation of self. When you serve others, you take your attention from yourself and see that others have worse problems than you do. Helping others opens a spring of joy in your heart.
6 Seek the help of a Godly psychologist or counselor.
