Spiritual Direction

  • Have You Wondered How Dreams Relate to Your Spiritual Life?

    Have You Wondered How Dreams Relate to Your Spiritual Life?

    March 9, 2023

    Have you ever wondered how dreams relate to your spiritual life? “Dreams are the back door into the Spiritual life,” says Kent Dobson, author, teacher, and spiritual guide. In the modern world, we have lost this way of listening deeply to the Soul, to the Divine, and we often resist the hidden chambers that dreams […]

  • Show Dominican Sisters Love & Appreciation During Catholic Sisters Week

    Show Dominican Sisters Love & Appreciation During Catholic Sisters Week

    March 2, 2023

    Let's show the Sisters who have taught us, mentored us, and stood by us -- lots of love and appreciation during Catholic Sisters Week! Transformative spirituality is a living, breathing power in our world -- Catholic Sisters – through their lives, their ministries -- show us love, hope, and possibility through faith. During Catholic Sisters […]

  • Continuing Formation for Spiritual Directors at Dominican Center

    Continuing Formation for Spiritual Directors at Dominican Center

    January 26, 2023

    "Tending the Call" programs for spiritual directors remind us that as practitioners we need to care for ourselves and continue growing in the Spirit. Offered a couple of times a year, "Tending the Call" welcomes spiritual directors to return to the works of foundational spiritual companions and contemplative practices introduced in Practicum I and II. […]

  • A New Year Message from the Director

    A New Year Message from the Director

    January 5, 2023

    Look for "stars"... that direct your journey, that offer new perspectives, that induce wonder and awe, that call us to risk, that entice us to sing, dream, hope, dance, march.   What a meaningful message to welcome in the new year. It's from an Epiphany prayer by Sr. Mary Ann Barrett, alumni engagement officer at […]

  • Celebrating 25 Years as a Grand Rapids Dominican Associate

    Celebrating 25 Years as a Grand Rapids Dominican Associate

    June 20, 2022

    A transformative moment for me as a Dominican Associate was the last day of class at the end of the three-year Spiritual Direction Practicum. Sister Nancy Brousseau and Judy Hahn, our instructors, had equipped us with great teaching and training. Yet, I and the other students felt ill-equipped to go out into the world and […]

  • New Spiritual Directors Welcomed

    New Spiritual Directors Welcomed

    June 1, 2022

    Welcome to the spiritual directors who completed our Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College Foundations in Spirituality formation program. Pictured (L to R): Sr. Diane Zerfas, Mary Marks, Andy Rebollar, Kathy Hasty, Al Juarez, Andréa Vugteveen, Phillip Johnson, Barb Edgerle, Debra Paxton-Buursma, Jillayne Warners, and Kim Franke. (Not Pictured: Kyle Garberson)   The 2022 Circle […]

  • Pure JOY at Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College

    Pure JOY at Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College

    May 10, 2022

    In this life, there is Just One You (JOY). You are a creator and the subject of your creation is your joyful life experience. At our recent JOY Retreat, mentors, staff, and spiritual directors with Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College invited guests to a variety of guided prayerful practices. It truly was a morning […]

  • A Year in the Light ~ An Update from Dominican Center

    A Year in the Light ~ An Update from Dominican Center

    September 1, 2021

    The pandemic forced the closure of the doors of Dominican Center at Marywood on March 13, 2020. With ingenuity and courage, our Dominican Center team set into motion a plan to keep welcome lamps burning for all seeking community. Below are some highlights of this unusual year.   A Year in the Light at Dominican […]

  • Reflections on Community, Isolation and Presence in the Age of Zoom

    Reflections on Community, Isolation and Presence in the Age of Zoom

    August 19, 2021

    What is presence in the age of Zoom? What does it mean to be present on a Zoom call? As a spiritual director, what does it mean when you cannot be physically present with your directee? How do you practice when you no longer have access to your place of practice? What is this mystery […]

  • Apprentice Presence at Dominican Center

    Apprentice Presence at Dominican Center

    August 19, 2021

    Dominican Center initiated the role of apprentices in 2019. Apprentices have already participated in our programs and now are immersing themselves in the Dominican spirit: hospitality, invitation, and contemplation in support of our formation team. Currently, Amanda Dobson has been working with Carmelita Switzer OP in Foundations in Spirituality. Andy Rebollar has joined Diane Zerfas […]