Sr. Bernadette Selinsky

CALLED BY JESUS ON A LAKE

Having been a church and school musician for nineteen years, plus giving private music lessons all those years, I was literally burned to a crisp. I did not have the energy to learn even one more child's name. Toward the end of a year of discernment I met a friend of mine whom I had not seen in a long time. We spent some summer evenings talking together in a paddle boat on Silver Lake near our Convent Motherhouse in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. My friend shared that she was in a time of transition from nursing into becoming a hospital chaplain. The more she talked, the more chaplaincy felt like a "fit" for me, too. I argued with myself that "there's no way God could call me to a new ministry in the middle of a lake doing something I so enjoyed doing: paddle boating. How could I be called to new work while having so much fun? How could I be called to new work in such a stress-free environment as boating on a calm lake?" It didn't make any sense to me until I realized that Jesus called some of His apostles on and near the Sea of Galilee. If they could be called on the Sea of Galilee, why couldn't I be called on Silver Lake? Once I realized that this call really could and did make sense, I began to think more seriously about it. Testing revealed three things about myself: I needed to work with people (not things), I needed to share my faith, and all this needed to occur in a medical setting. With the blessing and support of my religious community, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, I began CPE training. The rest is history: I have been a happy, certified chaplain for many years. I can't think of anything that would make me happier. I am grateful!

Sister Bernadette Selinsky, OSF
Board Certified Chaplain
Genesis HealthCare System
Zanesville, OH