Spiritual Directors

Sr. Mary Ann Burke, SND, a spiritual director certified through the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University, has served in a variety of pastoral and leadership positions, including parish and bereavement ministry and on the Sisters of Notre Dame Leadership Team. Sr. Mary Ann has led numerous 8-day retreats at JRC and also facilitated the JRC Ignatian Spirituality Leadership Programs which she considers a mutual blessing: ‘My individual directees have provided me with a wealth of inspiration and joy as they share their lives with me and I see their growth in God’s love and grace. It’s been an unusual journey that has led me where I am today, and I’m most grateful to God and my community.”

Martha L. Campbell is a lay contemplative living in the Cleveland area. For the past 20+ years, she has been engaged in full-time spiritual ministry, most recently as the Founding Director of the Lay Leadership Program at Cleveland’s Jesuit Retreat Center. In addition, she was a retreat team member at the Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, Maryland, and also served as the Director of the Spiritual Guidance Program at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in the Washington D.C. area. In addition to ministry as a program director, teacher, spiritual director, supervisor, and retreat leader, she is a retired licensed psychologist holding graduate degrees in religious studies (MA) and psychology (Psy.D.). Martha is a graduate of the Spiritual Guidance Program at the Shalem Institute and has received training in the Spiritual Exercises from the International Training Centre at Loyola House in Guelph, Ontario. Her personal spiritual journey has been informed by Carmelite spirituality and enriched by Ignatian teachings. In her ministry of spiritual guidance, Martha draws on Scripture as well as wisdom from the Christian contemplative tradition. She believes that ultimately, the spiritual journey is about the realization of our baptismal call to union with God as we embrace the circumstances and challenges of everyday life.

Patrick Cleary-Burns has directed on more than 50 individually directed retreats in nine different retreat centers and has an extensive experience in directing individuals from diverse faith backgrounds, the LGBTQ community and the AA community. Pat continually seeks the grace to open his heart to the new directions the Spirit is calling him. He has a BA in Theology, an MA in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College and a Spiritual Direction certification from John Carroll University. Pat and his wife Jeannie live in South Euclid, OH and are members of St. Malachi Parish. You can learn more about Pat’s ministry by visiting www.patclearyburns.net.

Sr. Charlotte Hobelman, SND received her certification in spiritual direction from the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University. She completed a BA degree in English at Notre Dame College of Ohio and her MSW degree from The Catholic University of America National Catholic School of Social Service. She has ministered as an educator, social worker and pastoral minister on the parish, diocesan, and national levels. She has 32 years’ experience working directly on the margins with new immigrants, migrant farmworkers, and their families and with people on the move ministries as well as eight years as a missionary in Jinotega, Nicaragua. She incorporates Scripture, poetry, music, and nature in spiritual direction. She draws inspiration from the spirituality of Charles de Foucauld and his ministry of presence with people on the margins of society. She offers the ministry of spiritual direction and gives retreats in both English and Spanish.

DonnaMarie F. Kaminsky is a Spiritual Director certified through Ignatian Spirituality Institute (Charter Class) of John Carroll University; Retreat/Workshop Facilitator at various retreat centers throughout the United States and abroad; offers personal Ignatian and Franciscan Directed Retreats, and on-going Spiritual Direction. 

DonnaMarie’s various professional, pastoral and leadership roles include prison ministry to prisoners and families; grief/bereavement support; adult faith formation; parish ministry; end-of-life education/training for community organizations; end-of-life ministry to U.S. Veterans and their families; leadership consultant/trainer; Regional Spiritual Assistant for the Secular Franciscans in Northern Ohio. These pastoral experiences have provided a deep, rich background to accompany others as they journey towards a deeper, intimate relationship with our God of Love.  

DonnaMarie has made all the expressions of Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, and has accompanied individuals through these various expressions as well, both at the Jesuit Retreat Center, Parma, OH and the Ignatian Spirituality Institute program (John Carrol University). She believes that presence and listening deeply are graced gifts of spiritual direction.

DonnaMarie’s academic and professional background includes: BA in Religious Studies from John Carroll University; MA in Franciscan Theology and Spirituality from St. Bonaventure University in New York; Certified Ecclesial Minister for the Diocese of Cleveland. She holds several post-graduate credentials in Thanatology, Grief and Bereavement, Hospice and Palliative Care, and Hospital Chaplaincy, as well as several leadership training program credentials.

Some of DonnaMarie’s special interest areas are: Women’s Spirituality; The Mothers and Fathers of the Desert; Women Mystics; St. Francis of Assisi as Mystic and Seraphic Lover; Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. and Thomas Merton and the Divine Feminine; St. Bonaventure and Duns Scotus; and Contemplative Prayer. We are called to be active contemplatives in the Presence of God and are graced to be so.

DonnaMarie can be reached at: poustinik2@gmail.com

Antonio Medina-Rivera, PhD is professor of Spanish and Linguistics at Cleveland State University. He is originally from Puerto Rico, and he is married and has two daughters. Antonio completed his certification in Spiritual Direction in 2021 with the ISI at John Carroll University. In addition, he is a Certified Master Catechist for the Diocese of Cleveland, and faculty for Institute Fe y Vida (a national formation institute for Hispanic youth and young adult), and a faculty for the Hispanic Adult Formation Program for the Office of Hispanic Ministry. Antonio is fully bilingual in Spanish and English.

Rev. Liz Nau is a Spiritual Director and retreat leader with over 25 years’ experience leading retreats. She received her M.Div. from Ashland Theological Seminary and holds graduate certificates in Spiritual Direction from the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University, Formational (Inner Healing) Prayer and Small Group Leadership in Inner Healing Prayer from the Institute of Formational Counseling at Ashland Theological Seminary. She is a retired Methodist pastor and has led retreats and directed summer and Holy Week IDRs at JRC. Liz feels called to companion others as they walk more deeply into their faith and to help others know and experience God’s love and Christ’s presence in daily life. A contemplative at heart,  her interests are in Ignatian Spirituality, Celtic Christian Spirituality, the spiritual disciplines and especially prayer: art as prayer, prayer walking and the gift of silence. Liz lives in Shaker Heights and she and her husband Dave have three grown children and two grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with family, traveling, hiking, writing and photography.

Nancy Rowell holds a doctorate in theology with a focus on leadership development and an interest in mysticism. She has been trained as a spiritual director through the Ignatian Spirituality Institute. Besides spiritual direction and retreats, her primary work is consulting. For more than 25 years, she’s facilitated efforts to promote and realize organizational, community, and individual change. As a volunteer, she has developed and implemented lay leadership and formation programs for various groups. She also works with the homeless and individuals in recovery. Nancy earned her B.S. in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan; her M.A. and doctorate degree from St. Mary’s Seminary.

Sr. Mary Ann Spangler, a Sister of the Humility of Mary, brings years of educational, parish, and retreat/spiritual direction experience. She obtained a Masters Degree at Kent State University and a spiritual direction certification from the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University. She has served as Vocation Minister for the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and also as co-director of the HM Associate Community. She directs retreats at the Jesuit Retreat Center and Lial Renewal Center. She companions adults as well as young adults focusing on prayer, relationships, discernment and transitions in life.