Art by Associate Marilyn Wasmundt
by Michelle London
The BVM Associate relationship is a “Circle of Friends” between associates and Sisters of Charity, BVM, and a way to expand the charism of BVM Foundress Mary Frances Clarke.
Associates of all faiths share in the congregation’s mission of freedom, education, charity, and justice. They partner with BVMs to serve vulnerable communities, support ministries, and lead hands-on projects.
Becoming an associate offers a meaningful way to live their values with purpose. A desire for deeper spirituality, a commitment to social justice, and making a tangible difference are just a few of the reasons an Associate relationship can be a fulfilling way to serve.
In recent years, there has been a shift towards younger people becoming Associates. This shift is part of the evolution of the Associate relationship, which has been active for over 50 years.
Living the Charism on Campus and Beyond
Julie Cirks grew up surrounded by parish life, yet it wasn’t until she arrived as a student at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, that she learned about the BVMs.
Julie found college life drew her away from her Catholic upbringing. But then after graduation, she became a Clarke employee. As her career advanced at the BVM-founded school, she developed a deeper relationship with the sisters and learned about Association.
Associate Julie Cirks (standing) volunteering for voter registration with BVMs Lois Dolphin (c.) and Irene Lukefahr.
“I didn’t know that was even a thing,” she says. “But the way the BVMs showed up in that faith just really aligned well with my beliefs.”
She began to explore becoming an Associate, but soon life demanded her attention elsewhere.
“I got cancer,” she says. “And I was pregnant with my fourth baby at the same time.”
Treatment, motherhood, and survival reordered her priorities. When the university asked her to return to work on campus after she had been gone for a while, she began to consider Association again.
“My director of admissions, Emily Kruse, and her husband, Terry, went through discernment,” Julie says. “That kind of gave me the idea. I was friends with [other associates who also worked on campus]. So I was learning more about what association meant.”
Julie O’Neill, BVM was an influence in Julie’s discernment.
“She is absolutely fantastic,” says Julie, speaking about the sister who was one of her mentors as she discerned Association. “I think the best part of the discernment process is talking about whether this is something that aligns with you. I really enjoyed sitting at a table and feeling 100 percent comfortable in having true conversation.”
Now two years into her Association, she feels the bond even more strongly. She has developed and facilitated workshops with her staff and with other university employees to talk through the BVM core values and how to incorporate them into their work lives.
“I am excited for the opportunity to become more engaged as an Associate,” she says.
Association and Service
Dan Abben has been an Associate for 25 years, beginning his journey at just 22 years old.
A graduate of Clarke, Dan traces his earliest interest to a BVM History and Philosophy course taught by Norm Freund, who is also an Associate.
“With encouragement from Norm, the class formed a discernment group,” Dan says. “It introduced me to the BVMs, and it set the foundation for that connection.”
Dan briefly considered seminary but instead spent four years working in parish ministry as a Director of Religious Education. Today, he teaches Organizational Psychology at DePaul University in Chicago.
Service has been central to Dan’s Associate life. He has served on numerous BVM committees and is on the Board of Directors for Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Ill., co-founded by Sisters of Charity, BVM and the Order of the Carmelites.
For Dan, the heart of being an Associate is connection. He values the relationships he has formed and appreciates the community’s commitment to social justice and openness.
“Especially when the church hasn’t always been open to that,” he says.
A Partnership in Discernment
Mariah Reeves spent four years as principal at Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque, Iowa. When she first walked through the doors, she didn’t expect to find a spiritual home. She wasn’t Catholic, and she wasn’t looking to become Catholic.
Mariah viewed herself as ecumenical but appreciated the sacraments of the Catholic faith. She soon felt that joining the Catholic Church would be a good step in her leadership role at Wahlert. She began the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), now known as OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).
“I’d always been faith-filled,” she says. “But I didn’t necessarily picture myself working in a Catholic school. Yet when the opportunity came, it made sense—almost like something was nudging me forward.”
During that process, Mariah befriended several BVMs, including Roberta White and Gwen Farry.
“I wanted to bring our religious sisters back into the Wahlert community because they were such a central part in previous chapters,” she says.
Mariah serves as the co-representative, along with Karen Conover, BVM to Loretto at the UN, an organization that works with UN bodies like the Commission on the Status of Women. Mariah and Karen, along with others, have accompanied young women from Wahlert to the UN to learn about the commission’s role in global women’s issues.
“Their advocacy, their radical hospitality, their commitment to justice reverberated with me,” she says. “BVMs humanize the gospel. That is the heart of Christ.”
While Mariah entered Catholic life as an adult, her wife Elizabeth Maus was raised in it.
Elizabeth attended Catholic schools and a Catholic university. For much of her life, she experienced Catholicism as many young people do—through ritual, memorization, and tradition.
“I don’t think I felt fully connected to the faith until I met the BVMs,” Elizabeth says. “What they offer is a more welcoming, holistic perspective. It’s the community that drew me in.”
Mariah and Elizabeth never imagined they would one day walk through the BVM Association discernment process together.
“It’s strengthened our relationship, our faith, everything,” Elizabeth says.
Associate Mariah Reeves (l.) and and her wife Elizabeth Maus, who is currently discerning associateship.
When they complete the process—likely within the year—they hope to make their commitment side-by-side.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
As two of the younger prospective associates, Mariah and Elizabeth are inspired to share in the BVM charism.
“Their lives have changed mine,” Mariah says. “I feel indebted and honored to continue their legacy of justice.”
Mariah and Elizabeth’s vision includes outreach to high schools, colleges, and the students who participate in trips to the UN.
“So many people are passionate about justice,” Mariah says. “Why not show them this community that embodies those values?”
What makes the BVMs so compelling, says the couple, is that the sisters humanize faith.
“It’s service as sacrament,” Elizabeth says. “They are the gospel in motion. With them, faith looks like love.”
Michelle London is a communications specialist for the Sisters of Charity, BVM in Dubuque, Iowa.
Editor’s Note : This article originally appeared in the Winter 2026 issue of SALT Magazine. Since publication, Mariah Reeves has been accepted as a BVM Associate.
This story was featured in:
Winter Salt 2026: A Life Commended to God
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