Ida and John Kelsey live in North Aurora, IL, enjoy their family and hobbies, and are active in their local parish and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. They became Covenant Companions in 2021.
The idea of becoming a Covenant Companion kind of snuck up on me. My quilting buddy, S. Trish Villareal, suggested looking into the Franciscan Way program. Unexpectedly my husband John also expressed an interest, and I was looking forward to something we could do together.
I always knew it was okay to have questions about my faith and the church, but here I could finally talk about those questions without judgment. I was allowed to grow at my own pace and was blessed to hear the sharing of others.
Ida Kelsey
Covenant Companionship has helped transform me into a more faithful and joyful servant. Worship at Our Lady of the Angels Chapel, other celebrations and sharing groups, and work in related ministries energize me. They give me new brothers and sisters to love and appreciate.
When people ask me about being a Covenant Companion, I simply say: “Come with me. Experience the charism.“
