Mary Sue Mooney has served as the Managing Director of the Cenacle School of Spiritual Direction since July 2022. She was in the first graduating class of the School in June, 1995. Since graduating from the School, she continues to give Spiritual Direction, the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, teaches the Elements of Spiritual Direction at the School as well as facilitating groups and managing each school session. She oversees and coordinates the March and September Graduate Seminars.

Mary Sue is also the Assistant Director of the Marian Servants of Divine Providence^®. She has been a Marian Servant for over 30 years and serves on the Board of Directors of Our Lady of Divine Providence House of Prayer and Our Lady of Divine Providence House of Prayer Foundation.

Prior to her role as the Managing Director of the Cenacle School, Mary Sue held positions in both profit and nonprofit companies including St. Vincent de Paul, South Pinellas, the Catholic Media Center of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Sharing the Peace of Christ Catholic Radio Station, and Showcraft Design and Display Company.

Mary Sue grew up in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan and graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree before moving to Clearwater, Florida. She enjoys spending time with her family and is the proud aunt of 8 nieces and nephews and 6 great nieces and nephews.

Father Waters is a canonist with a JCL degree from the Catholic University of America. Fr. Waters did seminary studies at St. John Vianney and the North American College. Ordained in 1987, Father served a variety of parishes as parochial vicar; in diocesan administration, at St. John Vianney College Seminary; and Pastor of Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Father is called upon often as a speaker on all things Catholic.

Father Peter Ryan, SJ is a member of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Ryan served as executive director of the Secretariat of Doctrine and Canonical Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) from 2013-2016. Previously he was director of spiritual formation and professor of moral theology at Kenrick-Gennon Seminary in St. Louis, a professor of moral theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland, assistant professor of theology at Loyola College in Maryland, 1994-2001. Fr. Ryan holds a licentiate and doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University, Rome; a master of divinity degree from Regis College, Toronto; a master of arts degree in English, a licentiate in philosophy from Gonzaga University, Spokane; and a bachelor of arts in political science from Loyola College in Maryland. He is currently teaching at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and has agreed to act as academic adviser for the Cenacle Spiritual Direction Program.

Father Gallagher, O.M.V. has dedicated years of his life to an extensive ministry of retreat work, spiritual direction, and teaching in the Ignatian spiritual tradition.  He received his doctorate from the Gregorian University in 1983.  As a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, he has taught at Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence (Boston) and at St. John’s Seminary (Brighton, MA); he was also provincial for two terms for the USA province of the Oblates.  Father Gallagher is the author of five popular books on the Ignatian Exercises.

Dr. William Newton is a Professor of Theology and the Department Chair of Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Dr. Newton has published in numerous journals and is the author of an introduction to Catholic social teaching entitled, A Civilization of Love: The Catholic Vision for Human Society. He is originally from England. He and his wife Claire have five children.

Father McAlear is past director of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate European Sabbatical Program. He has had a nationally recognized healing and deliverance ministry for over fourteen years. Father McAlear is a popular speaker, teacher, and homilist.

Dr. Schreck received his doctorate in theology from Notre Dame University. For many years he was the chairman of the undergraduate theology department at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is the author of nine books, many of them on Church History.

Dr. Stefano is an Associate Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. He holds an M.T.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN

Father Yavarone is a 2004 graduate of the Cenacle School of Spiritual Direction. He is on the faculty of Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, and an M.A., M.Div from St. John’s Seminary.

Fr. John Horn is a Professor of Spiritual and Pastoral Theology at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL. Fr. John holds an M. Div. from Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, MA., an M.A. from Creighton University, Omaha, NE, an M.A., from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. a D.Min., Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

We are grateful to Franciscan University for providing many of our instructors from their outstanding Theology Department.