Franciscan Sister Videographer Becomes Certified Nursing Assistant

Franciscan of Christian Charity Sister Cecilia Joy Kugel writes from St. Paul Convent, Kaukauna, Wisconsin. She serves at St. Paul Elder Services, Inc.

Videographer becomes a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) … say whaaaaat? But that is exactly what happened, and all because of a pandemic. In the beginning of COVID-19, video projects came to a halt and my days became filled with entertaining residents in the manor at St. Paul’s. I would lead songs and other activities, but my eyes began to shift to what the CNA’s were doing. I admired the work they did and the time they were able to spend with the residents. Unlike me, who spent most of my day behind a computer up until that point. The residents were really touching my heart, and I truly felt God nudging me to a “call within a call.” It was a Mother Teresa moment. Putting my anxiety aside, I asked the administration if I could take a CNA course offered through St. Paul Elder Services and they said yes! I enrolled in the course offered from May-mid June and then had some training days on the floor before I could fly solo. All of this happened just in time for our first major outbreak in August. Thirty-eight residents and thirty-five staff were infected with the virus at St. Paul Home, and I was in the midst of it, praying to God, “please help me put on a brief right the first time.”

Since then, we have had another major outbreak, I have learned the ways of the N95 mask, and residents melt their way into my heart only to be taken to Heaven’s door. I am grateful that, as a novice, I was able to sit with our Sisters who were dying. This trained me to be comfortable with death and to view it as a new life with Jesus. I am grateful for the gift to be a CNA, while also working on media projects here and there. You never know where religious life is going to take you!