Spiritual Directors for the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Living

Jim Arena

Jim Arena has worked as a transformation leader and executive coach for Silicon Valley companies for most of his career and knows first-hand the excitement and difficulty of change in developing new breakthrough opportunities conceived by technology companies. He typically is working with executives where change comes fast and often unpredictable. Jim is intrigued by the wisdom that develops when you work closely with others whether it leads to success or fails. Jim has personally seen those experiences turn into a desire to surrender to Christ and help others on an even more significant life-fulfilling journey. He’s been trained in the Spiritual Exercises through the Center of Ignatian Spirituality in Sacramento, California in 2018. He also completed the 3-year Institute for Leadership in Ministry, a lay-leadership program, for the Catholic Diocese of San Jose. He is married to Kathy with two young adult children who teach him how to be their best dad. He loves to bicycle nearly anywhere. You might find him on a road near you.

John Burns

I am a retired Consulting and Clinical Psychologist living in Ashland, Oregon. My wife ( since deceased) and I moved here for a mid-career . sabbatical in 1990 with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and became enamored of the core JVC values of Community, Spirituality, Simple Lifestyle and Social/Ecological Justice. As JVC promises, we were happily”ruined for life” and stayed in Southern Oregon to carry on our changed lives.

Prior experience and appreciation for the Jesuit charisms came through my undergraduate years at Santa Clara University. I had no real exposure to the Ignatian Exercises;however, until feeling called to them by the offering of the 19th version of the Exercises through the SCU Alumni Association in 2020-21. I felt called further to be trained as a Spiritual Director of the Spiritual Exercises through St Monica’s Spirituality Center where I received a Certificate as one of the cohort that went through its first program.

Beyond directing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises I am involved with social and ecological justice initiatives. I also enjoy the many opportunities for enjoyment of God’s outdoors in Southern Oregon and beyond.

Cynthia Cass

Cynthia Cass, J.D., enjoyed 28 years of an active law practice before retiring to concentrate on a retreat ministry and immersing herself in the richness of Ignatian spirituality. Her law practice was concentrated on advising nonprofit organizations, including No. Valley Catholic Social Services. Cynthia has served on the Board of Trinity Co. Catholic Social Services and as a major donor officer for a large homeless mission in Redding, California. Cynthia has established soup kitchens in remote areas of Northern California, has been involved in parish religious education and is an Associate with the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

Peter Chan

Peter Chan received his certificate in Spiritual Direction from Bread of Life Center in Sacramento, CA, and is a graduate of the School of Pastoral Ministry of the Oakland diocese. Peter was also trained at the Center for Ignatian Spirituality in Sacramento to give the 19th Annotation of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercise. His ministry includes facilitating small group sharing and retreats with the Chinese Ministry at Mercy Center, Burlingame and other Chinese communities
He gives ongoing spiritual directions and guides people doing the Ignatian 19th annotation retreat.
Peter seeks to accompany people longing for a close relationship with God to find the divine in themselves and to gain the inner freedom to live fully in the Spirit.

Ron Hallagan

Ron is a retired Ernst & Young partner where he spent the majority of his professional career advising large high technology clients. Ron lives in San Jose and is a parishioner at Holy Spirit Parish where he has served the past three years as the chair of the Pastoral Council.  Ron currently serves as a Board member and / or advisor to many non-profit organizations including the Drexel Schools Board of Trustees; The First Tee of Silicon Valley; the Hallagan / Huston Family Foundation; and Santa Clara University’s Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurism.  Ron has completed the Spiritual Exercises (19th annotation) and is currently a director in training to deliver the Spiritual Exercises through St. Ignatius’ Center for Ignatian Spirituality

Lelanya Kearns

Lelanya Kearns MD is a physician in San Jose, Ca. She has been married since 1996 and has 5 children. She graduated from Santa Clara University and has a degree in both Biology and Religious Studies. She completed the SEEL program in 2020 and graduated from St Monica Spirituality Center “Giving the Spiritual Exercises” in May 2023. She enjoys daily prayer walks and encountering Christ in the sacraments.

Anne Lagorio

Anne is a retired LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who worked in several roles over her career at Trinity County Behavioral Health, as a Mental Health Case Manager, Clinician, County Alcohol and Drug Services Director, and finally as Agency Assistant Director. Anne also volunteered for 8 years as the Trinity County Northern Valley Catholic Social Services Advisory Board Chairperson. Anne is active in several ministries at St Patrick Parish, Weaverville, serving as the Pastoral Council Vice Chairperson, RCIA Coordinator, and Co-Director of Music. She is also serving as the Shasta Deanery Representative on the Bishop’s Diocesan Pastoral Council. Anne has been active in both Retreat and Music Ministry for 28 years. She is also as SNJMA, Associate for the Sisters of the Holy Names, Jesus and Mary. Anne has been companioning those making the Spiritual Exercises since 2017, when she completed the Pierre Favre Program at El Retiro Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos, Ca. Anne has made both the 30-Day Silent Spiritual Exercises Retreat and the 30-Week Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life. Anne lives in Northern California in Trinity County, has 2 adult children and 2 dogs, and enjoys hiking, and singing and playing guitar as a part of the music group, Trinity Peace.

John McCarthy

John is a graduate of St Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco, Ca.  and Santa Clara University.  He is married and a father of two adult children. For 33 years John has been involved in Recovery work, finding deep freedom and grace in 12-Step Spirituality.  He completed an Ignatian Spirituality Leadership pilot program, FIRE, at his home parish of Holy Spirit, San Jose, Ca. in the Spring of 2016.  John completed the 19th Annotation Retreat of the Spiritual Exercises at El Retiro in Los Altos. In the spring of 2017 John was trained in “Giving the Spiritual Exercises” through the Center of Ignatian Spirituality in Sacramento. He finds Christ in his work with the homeless of San Jose and has been on four immersion trips working with the poor of Nicaragua. John has been a member of the San Francisco retreat team of the Ignatian Spirituality Project (Retreats for Homeless Men in Recovery) since 2013.

Teresa McCarthy

For 34 years, Teresa McCarthy has been involved in recovery work, finding a deep freedom and grace in 12 Step spirituality. She completed an Ignatian Spirituality Leadership program, FIRE at her home parish Holy Spirit, San Jose, in spring of 2016. She completed the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises, at El Retiro in Los Altos, Ca. in the spring of 2017. She has been trained in Giving the Spiritual Exercises through the Center of Ignatian Spirituality in Sacramento. Teresa co-lead an Experiencing God through Art retreat with the Verbum Dei Sisters in Fall 2017. She finds Christ in her work with Homeless of San Jose and has been on five immersions trips working with the poor of Nicaragua. She is married and a mother of two adult children.

Loretta Pehanich

A “cradle Catholic” and freelance writer, Loretta Pehanich blogs monthly at IgnatianSpirituality.com and is the author of Fleeting Moments: Praying When You Are Too Busy. She is a founder of Women in Conversation, a large-group spirituality ministry for women at St. Francis Parish. A spiritual director since 2013, Loretta completed a three-year internship in spiritual direction at the Bread of Life Center in Sacramento. Recently she completed the two-year course in giving the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius through the Center for Ignatian Spirituality, Sacramento. With more than 20-years experience in ministry, including retreats, workshops and small group leadership, Loretta worked in public relations/communications/fundraising for the Diocese of San Jose, Bellarmine College Prep, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo, Christ the King Retreat Center and other nonprofits. She holds a bachelors’ degree from USC’s Annenberg School of Communication. She and her husband have four adult children and 10 grandchildren.