Spiritual Direction offered to Grad Theology Students

New Component offered in Formation Process

A new component of ministerial formation, spiritual direction, is being formally offered to students in the Doctor of Ministry and Master of Arts in Practical Theology programs.

To better enable graduate students to explore the value of spiritual direction as it relates to ministerial effectiveness and the development personal ministerial identity, the Department has engaged the services of Veneta Lorraine, Associate Director at the Duncan Center, a conference and retreat center sponsored by the Episcopal Church in Delray Beach, Florida. If you would like to schedule an appointment for spiritual direction, you can contact Veneta at lorrainev@mail.barry.edu.

Ms. Lorraine has served in the ministry of spiritual direction since 1991. She currently offers a training program for spiritual directors as well as individual spiritual direction through the Duncan Center. She also directs all programming for the Center and has enrolled in Barry’s Doctor of Ministry program.   
 
Veneta has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology from Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, and did her undergraduate work at Providence College, another Dominican school in RI. She trained and subsequently worked for 11 years at Our Lady of Peace Spiritual Life Center in Narragansett, RI. Her ministry there included individual spiritual direction, teaching an adult Christian formation program--Spirituality for Christian Leadership, training and supervising spiritual directors, and organizing directed retreats. She also worked at the Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford, MA, the umbrella organization for Protestant Churches in the area, where she was engaged in facilitating clergy and staff support groups, as well as offering spiritual direction. Ms. Lorraine also spent one year in Belize, Central America, at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Spiritual Life Center.    

Barry University’s Department of Theology and Philosophy is pleased to offer graduate theology students the opportunity to take part in this important ministry of support and discernment. Doctor of Ministry candidates and students enrolled in the MA in Practical Theology who would like to reflect contemplatively on their engagement with God and its invitation for their life and ministry, are invited to email Veneta Lorraine at lorrainev@mail.barry.edu to set up an appointment.