Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008

Pasco doctor trades in her practice for a habit

Laura Kate Zaichkin, Herald staff writer

Dr. Christina Koonce is leaving behind her Pasco family practice and life as she knows it.

The list of items she's taking to Michigan at the end of this month is brief: Black sweaters, black shoes, pantyhose, notebooks, books, her stethoscope.

And five handmade habits.

"Is (becoming a nun) something I always wanted to do? No. It's the last thing I wanted to do," said Koonce, 40. "Every time it came up I was like, 'Oh no, it's not for me.' I have obligations. I have a dog. It was every excuse."

But she always has wanted to serve a purpose. The family physician started her own practice three years ago to primarily serve those without health insurance.

She also makes house calls and often spends 30 to 60 minutes with each patient.

"I was also really trying to do things my way," she said.

But it wasn't fulfilling the way she had envisioned. She thought, "Before I go and make changes maybe I should step back and ask what God wants."

So about nine months ago, Koonce began actively searching for what God might want for her.

"How do you know?" said Father Daniel Barnett of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, where Koonce is a parishioner. "Well, you've got to listen and pray a lot. There's a lot of listening involved. You've got to filter what's God's voice from what's not."

Koonce became more and more drawn to the church and the possibility of a religious life this spring, and Barnett recommended three orders to investigate.

One was the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., which has highly-educated sisters from medical, law and other professional backgrounds.

Koonce said a visit to the order in May served as confirmation that she was supposed to go there.

"It really felt like home," she said. "This is what I'd been trying to do on my own."

Since being accepted to the order, Koonce has sold nearly all her possessions, been working to find new doctors for her nearly 500 patients and arranged for her parents to take her dog, Max.

She begins at the order Sept. 8, but has an eight-year learning and exploration process before she becomes a confirmed sister.

"It's the very beginning of the journey," she said. "I've just stepped into the woods."

Barnett says this kind of decision to commit to a life of devotion is common, but usually resonates in the form of marriage, which he likens to Koonce's commitment.

"It's less common when you're entering a religious life or the priesthood because most people get married," he said. "It takes a lot of guts, frankly."

But discovering what God wants will lead to ultimate happiness, Barnett said.

"The problem is usually that we settle for too little, thinking that 'That's going to get me what I want,' but it doesn't," he said. "The fundamental reality is that God is in charge and he wants our happiness."

Koonce is confident in the process that led to her decision and is ready to let God use her as he sees fit, she says.

"I've been thinking about it in terms of a hike," Koonce said. "This is an adventure that's supposed to lead you to God. I'd love to discover and take a new trail and figure out what's down it."