Sister Rosanne Popp, CCVI, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston

Being a physician is not my primary vocation. Being a Woman Religious is. Using my skills as a doctor to serve the poor is the way that I fulfill my vocation.

With a degree in nursing and a master's degree to become a nurse practitioner, I still wanted to have more opportunities to serve the poor. When I expressed my desire to the Congregational Leader at that time, she asked me if I wanted to become a doctor. I had never considered that path, but once the seed was planted, I knew that becoming a physician was the best way for me to carry out my vocation of caring for those in need.

Today, most people at CHRISTUS Southwest Community Health Center in Houston know me as Dr. Popp. As medical director at the clinic, I care for poor and immigrant populations. We see patients from every continent, although I haven't seen anyone from Antarctica lately.

We face many challenges at the clinic, including language barriers and cultural differences, but the clinic staff is committed to serving the poor and uninsured. We not only focus on medical needs, but on caring for the whole patient, and that includes a healthy dose of education. We don't just say, "Take this pill." We explain the importance of medical and preventive treatments. And, we offer a wide variety of programs involving health and well-being, cultural opportunities and an excellent Literacy Center.

Making A Difference
To me, helping those in need means more than an office visit. I wanted to find some new and innovative way to enrich the lives of the children seen at the clinic. With the help of the entire clinic staff, the Sisters and many volunteers, we began hosting a Christmas Party, a day when the entire clinic is devoted to the celebration of Christmas with gifts, face painting, food, music, arts and crafts, and, of course, Santa Claus. The only present many of these children receive for Christmas is at this party. We also give money for food to the mothers.

The Christmas Party has grown into a huge success with more than 500 children receiving presents. We have a very organized system for distributing the gifts and the families move slowly throughout the clinic participating in activities as they go. It is wonderful. We have wall to wall happy, giggling children.

Having Fun Doing Good
With the success of the Christmas Party came the need to find a way to continue to finance the growing event. That's when we started the Nun Run. One of our volunteers is a member of RETREADS, a local motorcycle club, and through his active involvement, the club and our Congregation have partnered to host a police-escorted motorcycle ride from our Motherhouse, Villa de Matel, in Houston to a destination in Galveston, 50 miles away. The fun begins long before the bike ride, when our Sisters invite the bikers to take them on a ride around the Villa grounds, for a small fee. I suppose a lot of people are surprised at nuns riding on motorcycles, but it is for a good cause and who says nuns can't have fun?

The Nun Run has allowed to purchase not only presents for the children and food for families, but school uniforms, books, school supplies and other items that have helped those in need in the way I want to as a Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Founding Congregations: Sisters of Divine Providence; Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston; Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament; Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio; and Dominican Sisters of Houston.