Nursing as a Catholic Vocation: Hospice, COVID, and Caring for Souls with Elizabeth Kauffeld

What does it mean to care for the whole person, body and soul?

Dave sits down with nurse, Elizabeth Kauffeld, to discuss the vocation of Catholic healthcare. Together, they explore the sacredness of the end of life, the role of prayer in patient care, and why Catholics have a unique witness to bring to medicine. Whether you're in healthcare or simply seeking a deeper understanding of suffering and mercy, this episode is for you.

Shownotes

Main Takeaways

• Nursing is more than a profession, it is a vocation that allows Catholics to live the Corporal Works of Mercy every day by accompanying people in moments of profound vulnerability.

• Caring for the sick means caring for the whole person, body, mind, and soul, not simply treating symptoms or diseases.

• Catholic healthcare professionals are uniquely called to bring hope, dignity, and the truth about the human person into a medical culture that often loses sight of both.

• Prayer is an indispensable part of healthcare. Whether praying the Memorare before entering a hospice patient's home or silently interceding for patients, prayer transforms ordinary medical care into an encounter with Christ.

• The hour of death is one of the holiest moments of a person's life. Catholics are called not simply to manage death, but to accompany souls as they prepare to meet God.

• Hospice is not about giving up, it is an opportunity to surround patients and families with love, prayer, mercy, and hope in eternal life.

• The witness of faithful families, healthcare workers, and priests during a loved one's final days can profoundly shape how people experience suffering and death.

• Anyone discerning nursing should seek not only professional excellence but also spiritual, emotional, and personal maturity, recognizing healthcare as a lifelong calling to love and serve others.

Scripture References

• Matthew 25:31–46: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’  Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Challenges of the Week

• Pray intentionally for a healthcare worker you know and thank them for their service.

• If you work in healthcare, begin each shift, or each difficult patient encounter, with a brief prayer, asking Christ to work through you.

• Spend time reflecting on the Church's prayers for a holy death, especially the words, "pray for us now and at the hour of our death."

• Consider how you can accompany someone who is suffering, through a visit, a phone call, a meal, or simply your presence.

• If you're discerning a vocation in healthcare, ask the Lord where He is drawing your heart and how He may be calling you to serve His people with compassion and mercy.