Spiritual Directors currently available

What is an Individually Directed Retreat?

In an individually directed retreat, three parties are involved.

The first is the Lord who desires to draw closer to us in a relationship of love, and who invites and inspires individuals for that purpose to come aside to a secluded place and rest a while. (Mk 6:30-32); The second is the retreatant, a person who is seeking a more intimate relationship with the Lord and perhaps the Lord's will in some particular area of life.  The retreatant responds willingly under grace to God's call, sets aside the normal occupations and preoccupations of daily life, comes to a place apart, like Loyola, and takes the time to grow quiet, to center, and to listen for what the Lord will say. Retreatants need to have experience in prayer, the ability to enter into silence, enough self-awareness to recognize their own inward movements and feelings and their moments of consolation and desolation in prayer, and enough openness and trust to share these experiences with their director. The goal is to help the directee to discern how the Holy Spirit is personally leading, recognizing that God has a special and distinct plan for each person's life and everyone is not called exactly the same way. In this sense, there are no better or worse callings or vocations, as the best calling for an individual is God's plan for that person in particular no matter what it might be. Like scripture says, there are many members of the body and all are good and necessary. The idea is to determine and encourage the directee to be the unique person that God made them to be, doing the things that God is personally asking of each of us.

The third party is the retreat director. “Spiritual companion on the journey” might be a more appropriate title, since it is the Lord who directs both retreat and retreatant. The director, in daily meetings with the retreatant, listens to and encourages retreatants to give voice to their experience in prayer and to come to a deeper perception and understanding of that experience. Together they try to discover the movements of the Holy Spirit, to discern the direction God appears to be leading, and to choose topics for prayer that seem the most appropriate at that moment.

Spiritual Directors currently available at Loyola:

Abbot Clement Zeleznik, OSB is a retired Abbot from St. Andrew  Abbey and is currently the resident Chaplain at Loyola Retreat House. He has a Master's Degree in Spirituality from Duquesne University.  He studied under Fr. Adrian Van Kaam.  He was a novice master for twenty years and has given retreats.  He translated the book "To My Priest, " a book of confidences from our Lord through His servant, Conception Cabrera de Amida, given to priests during the Mexican Revolution. (1927-1931)

Contact Information: ( 330) 896-2315 ext 212

Patrick Cleary-Burns is a graduate of the Ignatian spirituality Institute at John Carroll University and has both a Bachelor's degree in Theology and MA in Pastoral ministry from Boston College.  He has 30 years experience in grassroots community education and fundraising for ecumenical, non-profit organizations.  Patrick is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and the Executive Director of Itinerant Retreat Leaders.    As a director,  Pat has accompanied men and women on eight day, eight week and 30 week experiences of the Exercises.  He has also directed college students on Busy Student Retreats and led numerous day retreats for non-profit organizations and the New Year's Eve Retreat at  Retreat House in Cleveland.    He has sought to invite fellow believers to join in activities that build up the Kingdom of God.  He is an enthusiastic practitioner of Celtic prayer.  Pat and his wife Jeannie live in South Euclid and are parents of Jeannie's five young adult children and have three (soon to be four) grandchildren.

Contact Information: Cleveland, OH  (216)382-9024.

Elizabeth (Becki) Haller has served the last 25 years as Director of Loyola Retreat House in Green, Ohio.  Becki received her certification in spiritual direction from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.  She is active in the “Faith and Light” ministry for physically and mentally challenged individuals and was instrumental in starting the Annual Faith & Light Retreat at Loyola which has continued for over 20 years.  Becki and her husband, David live in Louisville, OH.  They have five grown children, and ten grandchildren. 

Contact Information: ( 330) 896-2315 ext 202

Richard Jerdonek guides individuals in 30-week retreats in daily life, ongoing direction, and overnight retreats.  He has also led small and large group retreats.  Rich is a graduate of the Ignatian spirituality Institute at John Carroll University, a two-year program in spiritual direction.  He serves on the Advisory Committee of the Spirituality Program for Adults at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, attended the Rome Consultation 2004 with directors of  retreat houses from around the world, and served as President of the Board for the  Retreat House in Cleveland.   Rich and his wife Julie received the Dorothy Day Award from the West Side Catholic Center in 2003 for service to those in need.  Rich is also a management consultant, and earned his MBA from Stanford University and MS from Case Western Reserve.  Rich and Julie have three grown sons and are members of St. Basil's Church in Brecksville, Ohio. 

Contact Information: Brecksville, OH  (440) 838-4740.

DonnaMarie Flanagan-Kaminsky,  an energetic, Secular Franciscan,  Spiritual Director, Retreat Presenter, and Pastoral Minister, offers On-going Spiritual Direction as well as directed/guided retreats in Franciscan Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. DonnaMarie is a charter graduate of the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University; completed an M.A. in Franciscan Spirituality from St. Bonaventure University, New York; and received a B.A. in Religious Studies from John Carroll University, Cleveland.  Her previous ministries have included prison ministry, adult faith formation, and parish ministry.  In addition to accompanying individuals in the 19^th Annotation Retreat, and other forms of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, DonnaMarie has presented retreats and workshops on the many diverse aspects of Franciscan Spirituality, family spirituality, and Gospel living. DonnaMarie emphasizes a joy-filled, holistic approach to our spiritual life. She and her husband David have five adult children and several grandchildren.  

Contact Information:  Akron, OH  (330) 414-1636.