What is Spiritual Direction?
What is Spiritual Direction?
Accompaniment
One of the hallmarks of Franciscan and spiritual direction ministries is accompaniment. Together with your spiritual director, you will explore God’s presence, voice, and activity in your life. Through prayer, conversation, listening, and asking questions, your spiritual director can help you respond to God and take steps to further your relationship.
Is Spiritual Direction Right for Me?
Spiritual direction is valuable for all spiritual seekers.
Consider direction if you are:
About Our Directors
San Damiano’s directors are seasoned companions who have received extensive training. They share a deep commitment to ongoing spiritual formation and growth, both personally and with those they companion. After reading the biographies of our directors, we invite you to complete the form below to set up a complimentary 30 minute interview. You can ask questions, learn more about each other, discuss cost, and see if you would like to set up a spiritual direction session together.
David Williams
David Williams formally began the practice of spiritual direction after training at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and Starr King School of Ministry, GTU, Berkeley, California. This followed many years of inviting others to notice God’s real presence in their lives while participating in Community Bible Study (CBS, a non-denominational Bible study) and Confirmation with teens in his parish.
David received his Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, California (JSTB/GTU) in 2001.
While a Roman Catholic from birth, David often engages with persons of differing cultures and faith traditions and has gained an appreciation of how diverse the experience of the Divine is in this world. Exploring the closeness of God in all things has motivated his studies, travels, working and living. While comfortable in journeying with anyone wishing to explore their experience with the transcendent, he is especially attuned with Franciscan Spirituality, Ignatian Spirituality, Mainline and Evangelical Christian Spirituality, certain traditions of Asian origin, and the spirituality of youth, grief and grieving, addiction, recovery and 12-step spirituality.
David is married with two adult children and six grandchildren.
Patricia Keenan
Patricia Keenan is a Spiritual Director who has received her formation in Spiritual Direction in 2005 and Group Spiritual Direction in 2006 at Mercy Center in Burlingame, California. Her education includes a Theology and Psychology Degree from USF, Theological Studies in the Pastoral Ministry Program at Santa Clara University. Drug and Alcohol Studies of Pastoral Leadership in San Francisco. Some of her work background includes working with Addiction 12 Step Programs, Hospital Ministry at Stanford Valley Care hospital in Pleasanton, Chaplin Intern at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, Directing Spiritual Exercises at Mercy Center, Retreat Work in the Bay Area, working with the elderly at the Independent Aging Program in San Jose, the Adult Day Care Center in Half Moon Bay, and the Sunol Memory Care Center in Pleasanton. She lives in Pleasanton California with her husband, Joe and her dog named Faith.
Margaret Riley
Margaret Riley has been a Spiritual Director since 2008, when she became certified via the Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA. Her Spiritual roots are Christian in the Roman Catholic Church, but in her practice as a Spiritual Director and retreat presenter, she enjoys companioning spiritual seekers from any tradition (or no tradition).
Margaret obtained a Master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the Franciscan School of Theology, Berkeley, CA. (FST/GTU) in 2004. She has joyfully lived in the Bay Area for over 31 years and has been a full-time Minister in the Diocese of Oakland since 1994. Margaret’s study, understanding and experience of spirituality is born of a great variety of sources, including but not limited to the Ignatian tradition, Social Justice work, Addiction Recovery and 12-Step spirituality, Codependency recovery, Divorced/Widowed healing, Grief and Loss, Incarceration/Justice work, Mindfulness/Meditation, and Franciscan Spirituality.
For Margaret, “Spiritual Direction is a humbling gift that God is giving me to help others know God IS working in their life, moving them to a mature faith, and an active life in the Spirit. I find it a great honor to journey with others on this Pilgrimage of Life.”
Laura Sera
Laura Sera, a trained spiritual director, graduated from Mercy Center in Burlingame in 2016. She is a retired nurse whose career journey spanned nearly 40 years in Women’s Health, both in outpatient settings and in the hospital. Bedside nursing, her first love, allowed her to walk with many people through times of greatest joy and darkest grief. Currently, Laura teaches Active Listening at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.
In spiritual direction, Laura is honored to accompany others on their journey of discovering God in everyday life. It’s an invitation to deepen their connection with God and experience the divine love that surrounds them. The Spirit is most active and alive in the ordinary moments as well as times of crisis for this is where joys, challenges, and sorrows intersect with the human condition. This is the hallowed ground of spiritual growth.
Laura has been married for over 40 years, is the mother of 2 adult children, their spouses and 4 rambunctious grandchildren.
Bidi Millet
Note: Bidi is only available for spiritual direction if a person come on private retreat.
Bidi is a trained spiritual director. She has been practicing the art of spiritual director at two retreat centers since 1996. She considers spiritual direction a deep privilege and graced entrustment. She has experience in accompanying people in discernment of life choices, grief, Twelve Step spirituality, and prayer.
Bidi holds a Master of Theology degree from St. Mary’s College, Moraga, California with course work at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California. She received her certificate in adult faith formation from the Diocese of Oakland in 1989. She has experience in pastoral ministry, adult faith formation and retreat guidance. She received her certificate in spiritual direction accompaniment from Mercy Center, Burlingame, California in 1995.
Bidi is married with two adult children, their spouses and six grandchildren. Grand mothering is her deep joy.
Lizy Stewart
Lizy Stewart has been a spiritual director since 2005 after training at Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA. From 2007 to 2020, she went on to train and supervise spiritual directors and supervisors at Mercy Center. She has been directing the 19th Annotation of the Exercises of St. Ignatius since 2008. She loves companioning and directing the Exercises as she witnesses individuals come to new horizons and thresholds on their respective spiritual journeys. Lizy also leads retreats, teaches “Generous Living” workshops, and facilitates group spiritual direction, group supervision, and dream-work groups. She is committed to helping people become aware of and explore the movement of God.
Bro. Mark Schroeder, O.F.M.
Mark has been a Franciscan Friar for over 40 years. He lives at San Damiano Retreat. Mark was trained in spiritual direction 25 years ago while living in Portland, Oregon. His other ministries have included social justice advocacy, teaching ecological awareness and nonviolence, and being the Guardian (local superior) in many Franciscan friaries. He enjoys leading retreats on all sorts of topics.
Mark includes a “Franciscan spin” when meeting for spiritual direction — openness to many forms of spirituality, care of Self, and the value of action in our everyday world. Mark is also active in 12 Step spirituality.
Sarah Johnson
Sarah Johnson has been offering spiritual direction since 2004, creating a gentle and grounded space for individuals to explore the presence and movement of God in their daily lives. She was trained at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA, and is experienced in guiding the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, both individually and in groups.
Sarah holds a Master of Theological Studies from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, where she focused on Christian Spirituality and the Mystics. She is an Oblate of the New Camaldolese Hermitage in Big Sur, a longtime practitioner of Centering Prayer, and trained in mindfulness facilitation through UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center.
Her background as a hospice nurse and chaplain continues to shape her compassionate, contemplative presence with those in times of transition, discernment, or healing. She is a member of a contemplative Episcopal community in Inverness, CA.
Sarah offers companionship rooted in deep listening, trust, and the sacredness of everyday life.
