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Nurses dedicated to improving the health, wellness of priests

For advanced practice nurses Mary Kay Gawne and Cathlin Poronsky, a typical day can include everything from health presentations at meetings to unexpected trips to the emergency room. Gawne and Poronsky work out of the Vicar for Priests office, and are tasked with supporting the health of active and retired priests in the archdiocese.
Father Michael Trail, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Hyde Park, prepares a dish under the guidance of nurse practitioner Mary Kay Gawne as part of the “Cooking with Clergy” initiative in the annex building at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside on April 9, 2024. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cathlin Poronsky, also a nurse practitioner, stirs a dish near the cookbook the nurses created to help keep priests healthy. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

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