Introducing our Spiritual Directors...

Our trained spiritual directors are there to help you discern God's working in your life.

Sr. Marilyn Ann Angel

Do you love God? Or are you in love with God? In spiritual companionship/spiritual direction, the directee and I share and reflect together how God is present in all life’s experiences, in prayer and in relationships . Through this on-going sharing, the directee will come to a more meaningful and deeper love relationship with God. I received my three-year spiritual direction training through a diocesan sponsored program directed by Sr. Carol Ann Smith, SHCJ, in Toledo, Ohio at Lourdes University. This program included an extra year of training for directing retreats.

Sr. Marilyn Ann is in the  Norwalk, OH area
567-395-2385
[email protected]

Sr. Mary Ann Baran

I received a Certificate in Ignatian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction from the Ignatian Spirituality Institute  John Carroll University in 2005.  Currently, I visit with the elderly at Cleveland's Collingwood neighborhood and provide individual spiritual direction to those who request it.  I try to create a "sacred space" to help directees get in touch more deeply with themselves and their God. 

Sr. Mary Ann is in the Cleveland area
440-226-4577
[email protected]

Sr. Joyce Marie Bates

I received certification from Manresa Retreat Center in 1995 and have a background in Ignatian Spirituality including the Spiritual Exercises and therefore can accompany a person in the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises. I believe my role is to be a good listener and to walk with the directee.

Sr. Joyce is in the Laredo, TX area
419-304-1244
[email protected]


Sr. Sally Marie Bohnett

I received a Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality and my certification in spiritual direction from Creighton University in 1994. My ministries have included pastoral ministry and teaching Religion at the high school level and most recently college campus ministry. I consider it a privilege to walk with persons who desire a closer relationship with God in their lives. I have always loved the description of a spiritual director that one of my instructors at Creighton would often use - a midwife. As a midwife assists in the birth of a child, the director walks with the directee in his or her yearning to bring Christ to birth in one’s everyday life.

Sr. Sally is in the Toledo, OH area
419-913-9852
[email protected]


 

Sr. Mary Ann Burke

I was certified as a Spiritual Director through the Ignatian Spirituality institute at John Carroll University in the class of 2006.  I went to Guelph, Canada, for a summer workshop on Ignatian spiritual direction.  I listen to what each person wants and to what God is saying to me.  We move on from there listening for God's nudges. 

Sr. Mary Ann is in the Cleveland, OH area 
440-313-8175
[email protected]

Sister Christine Foos

People seek spiritual direction for many reasons. Ultimately, though, I believe persons come because of a deep longing they feel within. Somehow, perhaps without even being able to express it, they sense there is a more, or not enough to their life. Through deep listening, I invite people to explore this desire in their life and discover their sacred story. It is sacred because all of life is sacred. My hope for the directee is that they come to see and understand this. As this conviction becomes stronger, the directee will gradually come to reverence their life and goodness. This can lead to growing in their relationship to the One who calls them and enables them to experience the Holy at a deeper level. My role as a spiritual director is to accompany, walk with and listen deeply to another’s sacred story as it unfolds. I completed a 1 ½ year Spiritual Direction Practicum in 2020 through the Dominican Center in Adrian, MI. This program, facilitated by Sister Nancy Brousseau, O.P. encompasses an eclectic, ecumenical and inclusive approach to spirituality.

Sr. Christine is in the Toledo, OH area
419-346-7209
[email protected]

Sr. Joanne Mary Frania

In spiritual direction I accompany persons on their life journeys, listening for how God may be leading them to facilitate their growth in their relationship with God and finding God as integral in their daily living. In 1998 I was trained in the 5-month Resident Associate Program at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA; in 2000 I returned for their 30-day Associate Program in order to direct the 30-day retreat and the Nineteenth Annotation retreat according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Sr. Joanne Mary is in the Toledo, OH area
419-913-9851
[email protected]

Sr. Mary Deborah Giles

I believe spiritual direction is a shared contemplative and existential experience with another seeker in which we together attend to, discern, appreciate and delight in the movements of God calling the directee to fullness of life. In that context, my approach is an evocative--not directive--effort toward freeing one to hear God more clearly and walk with God more freely. All is sacred. Everything matters. I received an MA in Christian Spirituality with certification for retreat and spiritual direction from Creighton University. Presently, I minister as a psychotherapist .

Sr. Deb is in the Delphos, OH area
419-677-1426
[email protected]

Sr. Kathleen Mary Hine

Sister has a background in education and counseling and received certification in spiritual direction from the Haden Institute in Ontario, Canada.  She currently serves young and older adults from various faith traditions as they seek to deepen their personal relationship with God and with others.  Sister believes that spiritual direction is an encounter of sacred listening so that we can better recognize God's presence and invitations in our everyday lives. 

Kate lives in the Cleveland, OH area
440-476-6094 
khine@sndusa.org

Sr.  Mary Charlotte Hobelman

 

Sr. Charlotte Hobelman has ministered for many years with those living on the margins of society, as an educator, social worker, pastoral minister and missionary in Jinotega, Nicaragua. She received her certification in spiritual direction from the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University.  She walks with those seeking a deeper relationship with God through spiritual accompaniment focusing on our meeting places with God in Scripture, poetry, music, art, creation, and life experience. She offers the ministry of spiritual direction in-person or virtually in either English or Spanish.

Sr. Charlotte is in the Cleveland, OH area
216-387-63815
[email protected]

Sr. Mary Leanne Hubbard

Sister graduated from Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University in 2007 with certificates in Spiritual Direction, Supervision and Retreats, and MA in Christian Spirituality.  Sister also received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Washington Theological Union in 2014 in Christian Spirituality with emphasis in Ignatian Communal Discernment. 

Sr . Leanne lives in Thousand Oaks, CA
805-807-5375
[email protected]

Sr. Susan Maria Kusz

Sister Susan Maria Kusz has worked in spiritual direction and retreat ministry for the past twenty-plus years in Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin at a variety of retreat/sabbatical centers. She studied at Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Michigan. Sr. Susan has a special love and care for creation and is deeply committed to living and promoting a sustainable way of life in care for Earth, our common home. She writes a weekly blog at https://tendingsacredearth.wordpress.com

Sr. Susan is in the Oshkosh, WI area
920-231-9060, x 224
[email protected]rg

Sr. Linda Maria Pelagio

By God’s grace and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Sr. Linda Maria sees and experiences God’s loving presence in people, nature and in herself through the eyes of the heart. Spiritual direction for her is companioning and helping a person become consciously aware of God who is at work in every situation, fostering growth and developing an intimate relationship with the Divine. She completed her two-year Spiritual Direction Practicum through the Dominican Center in Grand Rapids, MI, in 2011. This program encompasses an eclectic, ecumenical and inclusive approach. She coordinates retreats for persons with disabilities, especially those who are blind and visually impaired.

Sr. Linda is in the Toledo OH area
419-270-3642
[email protected]

Sr. Mary Dean Pfahler

Sister Mary Dean Pfahler delights in helping seekers savor their experience of Gracious Mystery in their  lives.  She completed the internship in Ignatian spirituality at Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills, MI, and recently became certified as a Boundless Compassion facilitator.  A former educator in Ohio and Papua New Guinea, pastoral minister, retreat center director, and college campus mentor, she now finds joy in accompanying individuals and groups in spiritual direction, the Exercises of St. Ignatius and Boundless Compassion retreats.

Sr. Mary Dean is in the Toledo, OH area
419-304-8530
[email protected]

Sr. Diane Marie Pfahler

For nearly 30 years, I have been blessed to accompany persons in a spiritual direction relationship where we both listen for the movement of God’s Spirit. It has been a grace to walk with men and women through trauma, decision-making, and “ordinary time.” I received my training through the Lourdes University/Diocese of Toledo 2-year Spiritual Direction Certification Program in 1991. My ministries have included teaching, catechesis, parish ministry/RCIA, community facilitation, the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal and at Spirituality Centers.

Sr. Diane is in the Toledo, OH area
419-309-1960
dpfahler@sndusa.org

Sr. Regina Robbins

Sister Regina Robbins is an experienced retreat facilitator, spiritual director and supervisor.  She received certification from Mount St. Mary's University and Loyola Center for Spirituality in Los Angeles.  Her background includes formation ministry in religious life and diocesan seminary.  She is currently serving at La Reina High School as Dean of Mission. 
Sister Regina is in the Thousand Oaks, CA area 
  805-796-4972
[email protected]



Sr. Valerie Marie Roxburgh

I have a degree in Religious Studies from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, CA and received my certification in spiritual direction from Loyola University in Chicago in 2022. I have ministered in parishes assisting with faith formation and have been in Vocation and Young Adult ministry since 2008. Prior to entering the Sisters of Notre Dame, I was working in office management for 30 years. One of my greatest joys is, being able to help people grow in their relationship with God and discern God’s will for their lives. I am available for spiritual direction in person or via digital technology.

Sr. Val is in the Long Beach, CA
805-452-9699
[email protected]

Sr. Rita Marie Schroeder

Sister Rita Marie uses spiritual direction to help persons discover God’s presence in the daily events and questions of their lives. Her ministry has enabled her to walk with college students and young adults and with those facing serious illness or their final journey. Sister received her spiritual direction certification from Manresa Jesuit Retreat Center in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Sr. Rita is in the Toledo, OH area
419-708-7075
[email protected]

Sister Maureen Spillane

Job title or function

I graduated from the Shalem Institute in Maryland as a Contemplative Spiritual Director.  I listen to the directee hearing how God is in the challenges and joys of their life. I seek to help one live in a challenging world through prayer, spiritual discernment, and responses to God. 

Sr. Maureen lives in the Cleveland, OH area
440-313-8177
mspillane@sndusa.org

Sr. Jennifer Marie Zimmerman

After receiving training in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) as a hospital chaplain, I felt pulled towards the ministry of spiritual direction as a way to journey with those who seek a deeper relationship with God. I completed my certification in spiritual direction from the Loyola Institute of Spirituality/Loyola Marymount University in Southern California in 2019. I have ministered in campus ministry at the university and high school levels since 2010 and have walked with hundreds of young adults and teenagers on their spiritual journey. Presently, I serve as Director of Vocations and Young Adult Outreach for the Sisters of Notre Dame and am blessed to walk with young women and men throughout the United States as they seek clarity on their life discernment and awaken to the fact that they are unconditionally loved by our Good God! I am available for spiritual direction in person or via digital technology.

Sr. Jennifer is in the Toledo, OH area
419.438.6056
[email protected]