by Suzie Wright, BVM Associate Coordinator
Since 1994, the Conference of Associates and Religious of the Midwest Area (CARMA) has held gatherings that related to the needs of associates and religious from across multiple congregations and communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Each conference focused on the dynamic nature of association and spiritual communities. Traditionally CARMA’s only focus was on planning and providing a conference every other year for associates and religious. In the last few years, the CARMA planning committee started meeting to also support each other in their work as coordinators and directors for associate programs.
In April 2024, the eight active communities of the CARMA planning committee elected to merge with associate leaders from 20 communities who are part of the Midwest Kindred Spirits (MKS). MKS’ mission is to be a supportive network that helps share best practices between member communities for associate leaders through business meetings and in-person retreats for the MKS members. Both missions will be blended into MKS programming going forward. Presently there are 29 religious communities participating in MKS membership.
On August 8–9, members of CARMA met for a retreat to reflect on the past work of the organization. While in the retreat, the Holy Spirit moved participants to new visions about how they could stay connected as well as merge with the MKS community. They focused on considering the holy hands that had crafted CARMA’s works on the members’ felt losses as well as the multiple positives that will come with the move from CARMA to MKS.
We would like to thank Sisters Joan Brincks, PBVM and Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM for their facilitation of the retreat.