Spiritual Direction

Spiritual Direction
Resources

Spiritual direction is an opportunity to meet one-on-one with a professional minister to speak about your life, and your spiritual director is there to listen, to offer insight, and to help you discern where and how God is at work in your life. Below is a list of spiritual directors who are willing to meet with Fordham students (graduate or undergraduate) and some background information about them. Some of those listed here have received certification, others have not, but all are professional, trained ministers who have made themselves available to walk with you on your spiritual journey.Typically a formal spiritual direction relationship involves meeting with your director about once every 4-6 weeks for 45-90 minutes, though the exact frequency and duration will be determined by your director's preferences and your own availability. Below you will find brief biographies of Spiritual Directors who make their services available to students on campus.

Spiritual Directors

	Fr. Claudio Burgaleta, S.J. Associate Professor for the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education Fr. Burgaleta is the associate professor and coordinator of Latino Studies at the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education of Fordham University. He is also a member of Fordham's Latin American and Latino Studies Institute and a trustee of Fordham Preparatory School and the Xavier Society for the Blind. He has served as a spiritual and retreat director, formator of lay ecclesial ministers, and as a weekend assistant for various Spanish-speaking parish communities.

	Fr. Kenneth Caufield, S.J. Fordham University Fr. Caufield was ordained in 1967. For much of his career, he served as teacher, counselor, and faculty chaplain in Jesuit high schools of the tri-state area, including Brooklyn Prep, Xavier, St. Peter's Prep, and Regis. The New York Province of the Society of Jesus subsequently called upon him to serve as Director of Formation, giving him responsibility for training young Jesuits during their first ten or so years of religious life. After six years in that role, Fr. Caufield became Rector of Ciszek Hall, the home of Jesuit scholastics in First Studies, located near the Fordham Rose Hill campus.

	Ms. Joan Cavanagh, M.A., M.S. Director of Campus Ministry at Westchester and CLC Formation Fordham University One of the parts of her job that she enjoys most is being a spiritual companion to those wishing to deepen their relationship with God. Joan has been involved in spiritual direction and retreats throughout her 15 years at Fordham. She was trained in Ignatian Spirituality during her years in the Sisters of the Holy Child, making the full Spiritual Exercises and took part in training at the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Wernersville, Pennsylvania. In addition to annual Ignatian retreats and many opportunities to enhance her spiritual direction skills, she trained and spent five years as a hospital chaplain and has good pastoral counseling skills. She looks forward to working with members of our Fordham family who would like spiritual direction and a deeper grounding in their relationship with God. She has and has had many opportunities for continuing her training, through coursework, seminars and the Jesuit Collaborative.
	Sr. Claire Dandeneau, RJM Fordham University Sr. Claire Dandeneau, RJM is a Religious of Jesus and Mary who has spent most of her years in education as both a teacher and administrator. Ignatian Spiritualiy has played a central role in her life over the past 50 years as a religious. Not only has it sustained her in daily living but has helped her in relating to those she has journeyed with in her ministries. Though not a native of NY, born in RI, she claims it as her home since she has lived here for more than 30 years.
	Fr. William Cogan, S.J. Fordham University Father Cogan has taught in Jesuit high schools in Buffalo, Rochester, and Puerto Rico. In Jesuit headquarters in Rome, Italy, he spent five years as an American sub secretary and a year as assistant director of the Secretariat for Ignatian Spirituality. Father has given group retreats to men and women and directed 30-day retreats for religious, including those he led as director of the Jesuit Retreat House in Auriesville, New York. He currently resides in Murray-Weigel Hall.

	Fr. John J. Shea, SJ Director for Campus Ministry at Lincoln Center Fr. Shea has many years of experience in spiritual direction and has a Masters of Divinity from both Boston College and the Woodstock Jesuit School of Theology, as well as a Doctorate from The Catholic University of America. Fr. Shea has spent the past 7 years in Asia, having spent 5 years in Thailand and the last 2 years teaching psychology at the Sophia, the Jesuit University of Tokyo, in Japan. Earlier in his career, Fr. Shea worked at Fordham University in Student Affairs from 1989-1996 and at Loyola University in Baltimore as Director of the Counseling Center. Fr. Shea also served as President at John Carroll University, and Vice-President for Mission and Ministry at the University of Scranton. Fr. Shea also holds the distinction of being an authorized Bi-ritual priest for nearly 32 years and has celebrated the Divine Liturgy in many Byzantine Catholic parishes in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

	Fr. Dan Fitzpatrick, SJ Loyola Hall Fordham University Rev Daniel J. Fitzpatrick, S.J. has been a Spiritual Director for many years. He has given retreats in several retreat houses in the metropolitan area. Fr. Dan has also directed thirty day, eight day and 19 ^thAnnotation individual retreats. He received his doctorate (Ed.D) from Teachers College, Columbia University with a focus onIgnatian Spirituality. Fr. Dan is the Moderator of Christian Life Community (CLC) for the New York Province, Society of Jesus.

	Fr. Philip Florio, SJ Assistant Vice President for Campus Ministry Fordham University Fr. Phil is formally trained in the practice of Spiritual Direction with a focus on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. He has been a Spiritual Director for 15 years having been trained at Fordham, Boston College, Loyola Retreat House in Southern Maryland, the Center for Religious Development and at the Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos California. He also serves as a spiritual director to seminarians preparing for the Catholic priesthood. He is open to working with any one at Fordham who seeks to grow in their relationship with God and wants to explore the dynamics of the Ignatian Exercises.

	Mrs. Carol Gibney, MSW Associate Director at Lincoln Center, Campus Ministry & Director of Ignatian Programs Fordham University Carol is formally trained as a Spiritual Director, having been trained at the Center for Spirituality and Justice. She has been a Spiritual Director for the past ten years and has been facilitating the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises – The Retreat in Everyday Living – for the past five years, offering this retreat to students, faculty and staff at both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses. It is her desire to work with others to become more conscious of how truly active God is in one’slifeand how you might better cooperate with God’s gift of Grace. Shehopes to work with others to become radical agents of transformative love through the Spiritual Exercises and by meeting with people to explore their relationship with God. Her work is rooted in Ignatian spirituality, which strives to find God in all things.

	Dr. Chad Thralls Professor of Theology at the Graduate School of Religiona and Religious Education Fordham University Chad Thralls teaches Christian Spirituality in the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education. He has a Ph.D. in Spirituality from the Catholic University of America, has taught spiritual direction, and trained to be a spiritual director with the Jesuit Collaborative at the Loyola House of Retreats in Morristown, NJ. Chad compares spiritual direction to "panning for gold" in our lives to explore where God is present and active. He welcomes the opportunity to work with anyone in the community who wishes to deepen his or her relationship with God.

	Mr. Conor O'Kane, M.A. Associate Director of Campus Ministry, Director of Interfaith Programs Fordham University Conor holds a Bachelors degree in Theology and a Masters degree in Pastoral Theology, both from Boston College. Conor has worked in Jesuit apostolates and Ignatian-informed works for the last 12 years, including Boston College Campus Ministry and the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Boston College and Fairfield University Campus Ministry. Conor also spent two years in rural Belize with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a teacher and DRE. Currently, Conor works closely with the Jesuit Collaborative, an organization committed to providing opportunities to encounter the graces of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Steeped in the Ignatian tradition, much of Conor’s work has centered on the complex and rich connections between faith and lay vocational discernment (career and life choices) as well as the connection between faith and justice work. Conor is also available for students considering post-graduate service. As a frequent traveler, Conor has visited over 30 countries and 6 of the 7 continents where he has enjoyed learning about other cultures and traditions, and has developed a deep respect and affinity for interfaith dialogue.

	Fr. Thomas R. Marciniak, S.J. Administrator of the Loyola Hall Jesuit Community Fordham University Fr. Tom or “FT” is a Jesuit priest ordained in 1976. He has served the People of God in the Micronesian islands of the Pacific, at the Jesuit Retreat House in New Jersey, as Director of Campus Ministry at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, and presently as Administrator of the Loyola Hall Jesuit Community here at Fordham. Throughout his ministry the focus has always been pastoral - helping others in the growth and development of their faith through spiritual conversation and direction. He has been here at Fordham since 2006 working primarily within the Jesuit Community, but also being available to assist pastorally in the programs of Fordham's Campus Ministry. He looks forward on tiptoe of expectation to engage in spiritual conversation / direction with any and all who seek the "something more" in their lives.
	Fr. Francis X. McAloon, S.J. Fordham University Fr. Francis X. McAloon, S.J., is professor of Christian spirituality in the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education. In addition to teaching courses in Ignatian spirituality, he has many years experience as a spiritual and retreat director for undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff. Most recently, Fr. Frank comes to us from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, a graduate school of Santa ClaraUniversity (California). Since ordination in 1992, he's been involved in sacramental ministry in Richmond (Virginia), Miami (Florida), Washington, D.C., and the San Francisco Bay area. Fr. Frank offers individual spiritual direction, as well as group/individual directed retreats for lay and religious of all ages and backgrounds. He has extensive experience directing the Spiritual Exercises, both as a 30-day retreat and over the course of many months ("retreat in everyday life"). In addition to "traditional" retreats, Fr. Frank has journeyed with others during times of spiritual discernment about "what is God inviting me to do now (or next) in my lifeI -- marriage, religious life, career, service?" He also has experience journeying with those struggling with grief, loss, illness, doubt, and despair, as well as those celebrating God's goodness in family, friends, creation, and art.
	Fr. Mark Mossa, S.J. Spellman Hall Fordham University Fr. Mossa, S.J. received his training in spiritual direction at Fordham University in 2001. Since then, he has served as spiritual director for men and women of college age or older. He has served numerous times as a spiritual director and retreat leader for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He has directed people in the Spiritual Exercises in three-day and eigth-day versions, as well as in the retreat in daily life. He is available for regular spiritual direction, and has found that he's especially helpful to those trying to discern "what's next?" in their lives.

	Fr. Daniel J. O'Brien, S. J. Spellman Hall Fordham University Fr. O’Brien is Jesuit Priest of the New York Province and most recently served as Dean of Transfer Students for Fordham College at Rose Hill from which he retired last year. Before his work in the Dean’s Office he served as a Minister to the Jesuit Scholastics, Retreat director, Rector at LeMoyne College, President of McQuaid Jesuit High School, as well as Pre-Med and Pre-Law Advisor here at Fordham.

	Mr. Lisandro Pena, M.A. Assistant Director for Faith Formation and Sacraments, Campus Ministry Fordham University Lisandro has been a spiritual director since 2005 after receiving his certificate in Pastoral Ministry from the Department of Theology at Gonzaga University. He has worked at Gonzaga University in their Spiritual Direction program since 2003. His focus on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius started in 2006 while at Gonzaga University. He also has a temporary certification as a counselor psychologist with focus on counseling for University students. He has experience in individual and group counseling as well as multicultural counseling. He offers his services in Italian, Spanish or English. He is disposed to serve anyone who is interested in discerning their vocation towards the priesthood, marriage, lay ministry, or is bewildered spiritually, professionally or psychologically. He is a member since 2003 of: CCMA, AJCU and since 2009 of: ACA, APA, NYSSCA, and ASCA.
	Fr. Gerald Reedy, SJ Fordham University Fr. Gerry Reedy,SJ, has worked at Fordham for almost forty years. He taught English, worked as an administrator and lived in residence with students at both Queens Court and Walsh Hall. He now continues to write scholarly articles and provides pastoral ministry. He has done a great deal of parish work in New York and its suburbs, as well as in London, England. Fr. Reedy is open to meeting with persons for both spiritual conversations and spiritual direction.
	Sister Mary Catherine Redmond, PBVM Director of Vocations Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sister Mary Catherine received her MS in Counseling from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. She has worked for the past nine years as the Vocation Director for her congregation, the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, assisting women in discerning God’s call for them in their life. Sr. Mary Catherine presently ministers as a Physician Assistant in Emergency Medicine at North Central Bronx Hospital. She is a worshiping member of our Fordham Community, has lead the Women’s Spirituality Retreat for the past 5 years and can often be found at Praise and Worship on Wednesday nights.