A Faithful Present, a Hopeful Future BVMAssociate News

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Dear Circle of Friends,

BVM Associate News | Fall 2016 | Page 1

F R E E D O M • E D U C A T I O N • C H A R I T Y • J U S T I C E

BVM Associate Newswill be emailed and posted on the Associate page of the members’ website. Copies mailed on request. Contact bvmassociates@bvmcong.org.

SAVE THE DATESFOR 2017

Jan. 25–29Immokalee Farmworker Immersion Experience Contact: Associate Coordinator Nancy McCarville: nmccarville@bvmcong.org

Feb. 14–24BVM/St. Mary Ecuador Immersion TripContact: Elizabeth Avalos, BVM: eavalos@bvmcong.org

April 19–28Ecuador Immersion ExperienceContact: Associate Coordinator Kimberly Emery: kemery@bvmcong.org

April 29CARMA Day of ReflectionIntimate Mission: from Charism Partners to Mutual CommunionBest Western Plus HotelDubuque, IowaContact: bvmassociates@bvmcong.org

March 25Commitment CeremonyCarol GronewoldMount CarmelDubuque, Iowa

Fall is upon us, and we know winter is not far behind.

Schedules are a little crazier; life seems more hectic. There have been quite a few events for us to be involved in, from picnics to socials to clusters to retreats to . . . more.

Sometimes we just need to slow a little, take a deep breath, take another, and remind our-selves that it doesn’t all have to

Did You Know?

• We can share your dates for upcoming associate events—just let us know in advance! We want to feature your experiences too—send your pictures to bvmassociates@bvmcong.org.

• Let us hear from you! Share how you see the core values lived in your area. Write or send us an email. And if you want to write a reflection for the BVM blog, Walk With Us, contact Grace Mendez: gmendez@bvmcong.org.

happen at once. We have one another to lean on, to hug, to pray for, and to share with.

Take heart from the words of Mary Frances Clarke, “I know your good cheerful and willing heart, and that you will do your best” (My Dear Sister, p. 5, Letter 8). Know that “where one BVM is, so are we all!” Continue to share your stories with one another. Do share your stories with us, so we can all gain courage!

—Kimberly Emery, Lori Ritz, Grace Mendez & Nancy McCarville

Associate Coordinator Team (ACT)

The Associate Coordinating Committee (ACC) met May 27–29 at the Felician Motherhouse in Chicago.

Members reported on associ-ate happenings in their areas, highlighting one associate that “we should know.” Discussions included how associates are communicating, within clusters and across the country, using Zoom and conference calling. Technology is a big part of how we stay connected with associ-ates in 25 states!

We reviewed the current Associate Handbook and com-pared it to associate handbooks from three other congrega-tions, noting ways to enhance our document.

ACC bid farewell to Mira Mosle, BVM, whose role as ACC leadership liaison ended this summer when her term as vice

ACC Meets in Chicago

The ACC gathered in Chicago for their spring meeting.

president was over.

We also celebrated the commitment ceremony of Roxanne Morse (see p. 3).

At the conclusion of the meeting, more than 40 BVMs and associates from the Chicago area joined the ACC

for brunch. Together they enjoyed the meal and the fel-lowship.

The ACC met Oct. 21–23 in Dubuque, Iowa, at Mount Carmel.

—Grace Mendez, ACT

Meet Associates: Bill and Francine LeeMeet Francine and Bill Lee,

but to do so you’ll need a blank calendar and running shoes to keep pace with them, consider-ing all they do here in southern California. They make the core values come to life!

Francine says, “I retired from 39 years of teaching kindergar-ten and I love my house, but I don’t like to stay in it and do nothing. I want to give back.” Bill worked 37 years with the parks and recreation depart-ment.

Mary Lou Larkin, BVM (Mary Mark), now deceased, intro-duced them to association at a Holy Redeemer fifth grade class reunion. She saw in these two an ongoing commitment to live out the core values in all aspects of their lives—together as a couple and separately.

They appear as guardian angels on weekdays to Our Lady of Peace Parish where they garden, count the col-lection money, volunteer for “Loaves and Fishes,” and lector. At their home parish, St. John Baptist de la Salle, they both lead Bible study groups, and Francine sings in the choir.

Our Circle of Friends associate picnic was fun and relaxing, with approximately 20 BVMs and associates coming together from differ-ent clusters in northern Illinois—something that doesn’t happen too often. 

We sat in a big circle, giving everyone an opportunity to talk and share. I recently attended the associate retreat fea-turing “joy” as the theme; this picnic reflected that same feeling!

Everyone enjoyed each other’s company—all part of our BVM spirit! An indoor picnic lunch followed our sharing. Annual gatherings like this unite us in commu-nity.

We are grateful to Associates Dan Abben (for organizing the pic-nic) and Bob and Joanne Yerkes (for arranging for the space at their parish, St. Paul Church in Gurnee, Ill.). Good company and good memories!

—Associate Pat Dieveney

‘Circle of Friends’ Illinois Picnic

Visiting around a table at the indoor picnic are (l. to r.) Associate Kathy Weischaar, BVMs Carol Spiegel (Ann Carla) and Annamarie Kane, and Associate Dan Abben.

But that only accounts for church ministries. Francine also volun-teers at a public school library and facilitates their student council. Her love for “kinders” keeps her on the executive kindergarten conference committee.

Bill served as a teacher aide for handicapped children, and this passion moved him to volunteer with Harvest Gardens, at which special education students who are in wheelchairs come to Descanso Gardens (La Cañada-Flintridge, Calif.) and have access to raised gardens where they plant veg-etables and then eat what they grow.

Once the invitation was extended to Francine and Bill, how did they decide to become associates?

Francine, already busy, said to God, “If you want me to do this, You’ll have to make time for me to do it” and—voila! Associate meetings in Montrose are on Saturdays, their only free day!

And now, having made their commitments in 2012, what keeps them nurtured as associ-ates? It is their love for pray-ing with others and sharing ideas and therein finding inner peace.

If God made Sundays for Sabbath, God quite possibly thought ahead and made Saturdays for the already busy Lees so they could join the associate meetings and inspire the rest in the group—and the world—with their love for God and all people by how they live the BVM core values day by day.

—Vicki Smurlo, BVM (Marie Stephen)

Associates Bill and Francine Lee keep busy seven days a week living out the BVM core values.

Meet the ACC: Sean BradleyI’m just begin-

ning my second year as part of the Associate Coordinating Committee (ACC). My main con-

nection to other associates is through Clarke University, Dubuque, Iowa, where I teach.

Being so close to Mount Carmel, I have many opportuni-ties to connect with sisters and associates alike as I learn ways to live our BVM mission. It’s a holy place!

I grew up in Pennsylvania, graduating from Penn State in 1987. A feeling of restless-

ness led me to join the Peace Corps as a teaching volunteer in Sierra Leone. That’s how I met Betsy, my wife of 25 years. We’re blessed with three daughters, all joys to journey with—two in college, one in high school.

I met my first BVMs at Clarke, where I’ve taught for the better part of 20 years. I’m here a little shy of 20 years because our family took a two-year leave of absence in 2002–04 to volun-teer with the Diocese of Pago Pago, American Samoa.

I currently teach math-ematics and co-chair Clarke’s Catholic Identity Committee

with Associate Norm Freund. This year we’re working to strengthen our campus’s com-mitment to infusing Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the Common Good, into campus life, in ways both curricular and co-curricular.

This is an exciting time to be an associate. Of course, the congregation faces challenges ahead, but working with such an inspiring group of sisters and associates helps me to know that we can meet those challenges head on, “working unitedly.” Mary Frances Clarke wouldn’t have it any other way!

—Associate Sean Bradley

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Kathleen GibsonAs they gathered on Aug. 13 at the

Salem Green Community Room in Inverness Grove Heights, Minn., guests for Kathleen Gibson’s associate commit-ment ceremony were surrounded by pictures and mementos of Kathleen’s lifelong relationship with the BVM com-munity.

Her testimonial paid tribute to the grace of God that led her to meet and live with BVMs earlier in her life as a vowed sister. She admitted that the grace of God has now led her to recon-nect with BVMs through her call to asso-ciation.

Along with her son and daughter, grandchildren, and many friends, Kathleen was joined by Associates Mary Maas, Nancy McCarville, Janice Del Fiacco, Nancy Harding, Anne Klejment, Josanne McCarver and Pat Dieveney.

BVMs who complemented the associates in their presence at the cer-emony included Barbara Brooks, Susan Coler, Elizabeth Huber, Fran Donnelly, Annamarie Kane and Pat Thalhuber (Herbert Mary), who was Kathleen’s companion.

—Nancy McCarville, ACT

Terri Piña and Elaine ReavisWe welcomed new BVM Associates Elaine

Reavis and Teresa (Terri) Piña on Aug. 28 at Holy Redeemer Parish in Montrose, Calif. The day was a culmination of months of shared prayer with their companions: Associate Cheryl Hannah and BVMs Mary Jean Ferry (St. Christopher), Marguerite Murphy (John), and Vicki Smurlo (Marie Stephen).

Members of their families witnessed and participated in the commitment ceremony. Also in attendance were their cluster of BVMs and associates as well as other associ-ates and sisters with whom Elaine and Terri shared their gifts of friendship.

The ceremony was followed by a recep-tion in the parish hall, where we were able to enjoy one another’s presence and the special closeness that we as associates share with our BVM sisters.

It is a privilege to have been asked to become associates. We pray for Elaine, Terri, our friends and families, and all of the sis-ters and associates. We will always stand by each other in keeping the BVM community alive and continuing to live by the BVM core values of charity, education, freedom and justice—and the teachings of Mary Frances Clarke.

—Associate Clara Schwartz

Roxanne MorseOn May 28 at the Felician

Motherhouse in Chicago, the Associate Coordinating Committee (ACC) hosted the commitment ceremony of Roxanne Morse, who was accepted as an associ-ate in March of 2015.

Roxanne resides in Oakland, Calif., where she is a practicing psychologist and psychotherapist. She sees associa-tion as “a lifetime commitment to pur-sue a community with depth, spiritual guidance, shared social values, and a foundation of love, care and concern for one another.” Roxanne believes that social justice is “pursuing a place for ‘everyone at the table.’”

Associate Marilyn Highlander-Pool served as Roxanne’s companion in her associate journey, and speaks of Roxanne as “a woman who truly lives out the core values in her daily life . . . a woman who spends almost every day of her life working for social justice.”

The ACC and Roxanne were joined by her Chicago area family, Marilyn, and BVMs Dolores Mary (Dee) Peppard and Ann Chaput for the ceremony and reception that followed.

—Grace Mendez, ACT

New Associates Celebrate Commitments

Celebrating with Kathleen (far r.) are (l. to r.) BVM Annamarie Kane, Associate Pat Dieveney and Nancy McCarville, ACT.

Wearing their new associate stoles are Elaine Reavis (seated, l.) and Terri Piña (seated, r.).

Roxanne Morse (center), is joined by BVM Ann Chaput (l.) and companion Associate Marilyn Highlander-Pool.

Prayer AssociationShow your love and concern for family and friends by sharing the gift of prayer. Through enrollment in the BVM Prayer Association, they will be included in the monthly Masses and prayers of the Sisters of Charity, BVM. Choose from an assortment of unique Prayer Association cards for any occasion, featuring the artwork of our BVM sisters.

Contact the Office of Development for more information at: 563.585.2854. Or, visit our website: http://www.bvmcong.org/support_prayer.cfm.

Artwork by Gertrude Ann Sullivan, BVM

Get Well SoonGet Well Soon

Artwork by Gertrude Ann Sullivan, BVM

Artwork by Blanche Marie Gallagher, BVM

Happy Birthday

To read associate reflections, visit: http://bvmcong.org/join_bvm_reflections.cfm

Sisters of Charityof theBlessed Virgin Mary

Freed by Love, Acting for Justice

1100 Carmel Drive | Dubuque, IA 52003-7991 | 563.588.2351WWW.BVMCONG.ORG

BVM Mission: We are the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

a community of Catholic women called to live the mission of Jesus through our core values of

FREEDOM, EDUCATION, CHARITY & JUSTICE.

Check us out online:

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The Colorado Cluster met in the mag-nificent Rockies for their annual retreat in September. The beauty of nature and the comfortable lodge combined to give us a joyful and dedicated spirit. In between meals made by our own sisters and associ-ates, we prayed, relaxed and renewed our-selves in God’s grace. From the elk bugling at night to the lazy river’s ripple by day, God was so present to us.

Associate Tess Malumphy and Betty Voss, BVM (Leonice) led us in discussions of

Annual Retreat in Colorado

Gathered for the Colorado Cluster retreat are (seated, l. to r.) BVM Josette Kelly, Associate Nancy Van Anne, BVM Georgeann Quinlan (Immaculate), Associate Kathleen Krieger; (standing, l. to r.) BVM Sheila Doherty (Paula Mary), Associates Suzanne King and Marilyn Wasmundt, BVM Betty Voss, and Associates Tess Malumphy and BVM friend Maureen Doherty.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the North American Conference of Associates and Religious (NACAR), over 130 people gathered in Milwaukee on Sept. 9–10 for food, conversation and reflection.

The title of the conference was “Celebrating Our Charisms—Alive in the World” and it was facilitated by Kathy Wade, a Mercy associate. The BVM community was well represented in Milwaukee by ACT members Kimberly Emery and Nancy McCarville; BVM Kathy Conway (Richard Marie); and Associates Mary Ann Krems, Norm Freund and Gabe Blood.

The event opened on Friday evening with a poolside social where friendships were renewed and new connections made as journeyers arrived from around the Midwest (and even one from Rome)!

On Saturday morning, our facilitator gently prepared us for a day of contem-plative dialogue through a 20-minute quiet time around the mantra “see how they love one another. . .”

The following five questions guided us throughout the day: Who am I and who are we? Whom do we desire to be for one another? What do we want? Where are we going? How will we embody our charism in meaningful, impactful ways, into the future?

Through paired sharing, table con-versations, and large group feedback, a profound sense of deep appreciation for each other emerged. By the end of the day, a renewed sense of commitment to association was revealed, including a desire to further the relationships between and among BVM associates themselves.

—Associate Norm Freund

Nancy McCarville (l.) and Kimberly Emery prepare to take photos at the NACAR gathering.

A NACAR ReflectionMy Trip to Mount CarmelAfter spending over two years in orienta-

tion to become an associate, I wanted to visit the BVM Motherhouse in Dubuque, Iowa. Associates Cheryl Hannah and Erica Brown and I left California on July 12 and returned on July 19. Mary Jean Ferry, BVM (St. Christopher) picked us up at the Dubuque airport and drove us to 1100 Carmel Drive for our visit.

Mary Jean and Joanne Schneider, BVM (Joeline) developed a full schedule for us, including our participation in the three-day Associate Retreat, “Called to Joy,” which had 57 attendees. This retreat was enjoyed by all, and information with examples of joy were shared and discussed. (For more on the retreat, read ACT member Nancy McCarville’s story in the August edition of the BVM Center News.)

Being at Mount Carmel was like being in heaven! Everyone we met, wherever we happened to be, greeted us with a smile and a “Good Morning,” as if they had known us forever. There was always someone willing to direct us if we appeared lost, and, since I have no sense of direction in a place that size, the offer of help was much appreciated.

Associate Elaine Reavis (r.) chats with Associates Kay Harrison (l.) and Cheryl Hannah at Mount Carmel.

articles from “The Feminist Platform Center for Justice” (8th Day Center for Justice).

Josette Kelly, BVM guided us in reflec-tions from Avanti! (daily reflection book from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious) which helped us to deepen our spirituality through knowledge, trust and wisdom figures.

Thank you to all who made our weekend so special!

—Associate Kathleen Krieger

Through my observations, I believe that BVM sisters and staff are living a life in God, evidenced by how people are greeted and how pleasant everyone is. If the world were like Mount Carmel, what a wonderful place it would be for everyone everywhere!

It was during my stay that God spoke to me and I sensed Him very close, directing me to commit to becoming an associate of the BVMs. I apprised Mary Jean, Cheryl and Erica that I had received God’s message. They were overjoyed to hear the news, and the commitment ceremony for me and another associate, Terri Piña, was held at Holy Redeemer Church in Montrose on July 28.

—Associate Elaine Reavis