Mary Martin graduated from the IMF Spiritual Direction program in May 2023. She has been in parish leadership for over 20 years, working in parishes, the diocese, and local non-profits. She has been a spiritual director for 10 years but felt a call from God to raise up spiritual directors for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Mary and a small group researched the Spiritual Direction program at the IMF and decided it would give them the most complete formation.

The IMF has made Mary more committed to her faith. She has never seen a program with so many brilliant professors who also have an amazing charism of mercy! “They live and breathe and teach it and that is what I try to emulate each day now,” Mary says.

One of her favorite courses with the IMF was SD1, the Art of Accompaniment. This course was very impactful to Mary and helped her to understand that spiritual directors represent God for the directee, a foundational shift. She also enjoyed Dr. Helene Paharik’s course on Divine and Human Friendship, taught in Rome. For Mary, it was the capstone class that helped the rest of the program integrate itself into her heart.

Additionally, Mary helped found and now directs Unleashing the Gospel at Work, an Apostolate that strives to equip the laity with the tools they need to spread the Gospel and live their faith in the workplace.

Her advice to students of the IMF is as follows: “Hang in there! The view is worth the climb.”

For more information about Mary and her life and ministry, see the Transforming Hearts podcast episode hosted by our very own Kristin Molitor. Lastly, thank you so much, Mary, for all of your hard work and dedication to the Lord!