Congratulations to Sister Marie Goretti Marcelle, who was named Volunteer of the Year for St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna.
Ministering in the Kaukauna area since 1988, Sister Marie Goretti serves at St. Paul’s as a volunteer and a part-time employee for the spiritual care department. She visits new residents in the rehabilitation facility and nursing home, leads Bible studies, helps with anointings of the sick, proclaims the readings and prayers at daily Mass, and distributes communion. Sister is also a companion for the dying. She feels honored to bless those near the end of life and, if possible, bring communion. “I tell them they are one step closer to heaven,” says Sister.
In announcing the award, St. Paul’s director of mission and spiritual care Sister Delores Wisnicky, OSF, said Sister Marie Goretti “brings a positive spirit, a deep commitment to our mission, and an unwavering willingness to help in any way she can. What truly sets Sister Marie apart is her heart. Rain or shine, she walks from her home to St. Paul’s to volunteer — always with kindness, grace, and humility.” Sister Delores added that Sister Marie Goretti exemplifies what it means to live a life of service.
What stood out most in Sister Marie Goretti’s nomination was her response when an EF-1 tornado hit Kaukauna – including her apartment building – on May 21, 2024. All the residents were ordered to evacuate immediately, leaving behind most of their belongings. Despite the upheaval, Sister showed up at St. Paul’s the next day, ready to give even more of herself than before.
“That Sister Marie Goretti would serve others the day after a tornado displaced her is no surprise to anyone who knows her,” says Sister Rose Jochmann, Community president of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross. “Her life is rooted in the love of Jesus — she serves not for herself, but for Jesus and His people. Her first instinct is always to give.”
St. Paul Elder Service in Kaukauna and Green Bay is a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.
