Spiritual Direction
What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual Direction is a time to reflect on your prayer life and to nurture your relationship with God. The Spiritual Director, as a companion, listens and is attentive to the spiritual life and journey of the directee, seeking always to enhance and deepen the relationship between God and the directee. The relationship of spiritual direction is sacred, safe and strictly confidential.
What Happens In Spiritual Direction?
The focus of spiritual direction is discerning the movement of the Spirit in the life of the “directee.” Spiritual directors listen carefully to the unfolding of their directees’ lives to help them discern how the Divine is leading them. A director and directee have regular one-on-one meetings (usually about an hour, once a month) to more deeply explore the directee’s spiritual journey.
What Does Spiritual Direction Offer?
Simply put, spiritual direction is helping people tell their sacred stories every day. Through deep listening, a spiritual companion can help you explore a deeper relationship with God. Like other forms of contemplation, a spiritual companion or spiritual director helps people connect more deeply with the true self.
“If you do not have someone to guide you, to hold onto you during the times of not knowing,
you will normally stay at your present level of growth.”
– Richard Rohr
Request a Spiritual Director
If you are seeking a Spiritual Director or wish to learn more, please contact:
Zulma Esquivel-Diaz, Program Director
Meet Our Spiritual Directors
My formal spiritual direction training began with the Sacred Journey Program at The Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, and following that, a two-year training program at The Benedictine Spiritual Direction Training Program at Benet Hill Monastery in Colorado.
The faith tradition I was raised in is Catholicism, which forms the foundation of my beliefs. I have also spent time in evangelical and mainline Christian communities. In all, knowing God’s love is preeminent. Contemplating the risen Christ, God’s loving presence here and now, is what leads to inner transformation. I find it an absolute privilege to accompany others on their own, unique, inner journey with the One who calls them “Beloved.”
Marby Brown
Darlene completed training as a spiritual director at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in 2020. She works as a retreat facilitator and as faculty for Bread of Life’s Listen to Your Life program and has over 25 years experience as a Catholic school teacher and catechist. She is grateful for the gift of spiritual direction, both as a directee and director, to be still, listen for God’s grace, and share the spiritual journey more deeply. Darlene is a recent empty nester and enjoys long walks, tennis, reading, and quiet evenings at home.
Darlene Carlson
Sr. Mary Ann Clifford-Rodriguez
(Spanish and English)
Susan Cosio
Susan particularly enjoys coming alongside those in life transitions or vocational discernment. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Fuller Seminary, with additional coursework completed at North Park Seminary in Chicago. Susan completed her Spiritual Direction training at the Journey Center in Santa Rosa. She is also trained as a supervisor of spiritual directors through the Companioning Center.
Susan is available to meet in person at the Mercy Center or in Davis, or on Zoom.
Katherine Doyle RSM is a Sister of Mercy trained in history and spirituality. She received a MA in Educational Administration from USF and a MA in Liturgical Studies from St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN. She has served as Director of Mercy Center Auburn, Director of Faith Formation, Diocese of Sacramento and Novitiate Minister for the US Novitiate. A Mercy historian, she has published Like a Tree by Running Water, the Story of Mary Baptist Russell, California’s First Sister of Mercy and Braided Lives the Sisters of Mercy in Sacramento 1857-2008. Trained in spiritual direction at St. John University and at Shalem, she currently serves as both a spiritual director and a retreat facilitator.
Sr. Katherine Doyle
Colleen has served in the ministry of spiritual direction for the Sisters of Mercy beginning 30 years ago when she completed her internship from the Mercy Institute of Spiritual Direction. She also received certifications from the Institute in The Art of Ignatian Spiritual Direction and The Art of Supervision of Spiritual Directors. Colleen has served on the faculties for spiritual direction training programs for Mercy Center Burlingame and Mercy Center Auburn. Her ministries include facilitating contemplative retreats and Enneagram workshops. “My ongoing spiritual journey continues to be inspired by poets and mystics, that includes Meister Eckhart, Rumi, Elia Delio, Toni Morrison, and others.”
Colleen Gregg
Reneé Regacho-Anaclerio
Renée is a Spiritual Director, Retreat Leader, and Dream Work Facilitator. A graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Direction and the Haden Institute for Spiritual Direction/Dream Work, she offers a ministry rooted in openness and compassion. Renée believes, “Spiritual direction is the gift of holding safe, sacred space for another.”
With warmth and open spirit, she invites others to explore their inner lives and relationship with God in ways that are grounding and life-giving. Her work embraces life’s transitions, fosters cross-cultural understanding, challenges limiting God images, and affirms the dignity of every person as Imago Dei.
Josie Rivera
(Spanish and English)
Josie completed the bilingual Spiritual Direction Program at Mercy Center Auburn and has been accompanying directees for the past year and a half. She is deeply engaged in supporting Mercy Center Auburn’s Spanish spiritual formation programs and retreats. Married with two daughters and grandchildren, Josie has served her parish in many roles for over 20 years and currently works as the business manager at St. Rose of Lima Parish. Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, she has lived in the U.S. since 1973.“God called me to this ministry when I was broken, and it has been a journey full of surprises. I am grateful to witness God’s transforming work in my life and in the lives of others.”