About

Hi!  

I’m Mary Susan.  

Welcome to Beckoned by Grace! 

We're glad you're here!

A cradle Catholic, I have always been fascinated by God’s creation and driven by a desire to ease people’s burdens.  My curiosity and family events led me to earn my PhD in Biochemistry and pursue research in several biomedical fields.  Although scientists are often assumed to be atheists, my work only drew me closer to the Lord.  At the same time, I was struggling with finding balance in my life, as a married working mother of two.  I knew there was something more, and I wasn’t going to discover it in the lab.  It became clear that the Lord had other plans for me.  After 14 years, I left full-time lab research to begin teaching, first at a  STEM high school, and then at the university level.   Initially, I had no idea what I was doing.  I just knew I was supposed to do it.  Taking such a risk, and choosing to trust in the Lord, not to mention several small miracles, changed my life forever.  During this time of transition, I spent years searching for a spiritual director.   The Holy Spirit finally led me to my first director, and I made a mental note to myself that there really should be more of them! When I learned about the Spiritual Direction Certification Program at Divine Mercy University, I felt this was something to which the Lord was calling me.   

Spending so much time around teenager and young adult students has made me keenly aware of the high levels of stress, anxiety, and discouragement in our world.  Just reading the news can leave us feeling hopeless.  For me, noticing God’s presence in all things, and deepening my relationship with Him has made all the difference.  While I am not perfect, I try to remind myself of the exhortation of St. John Paul II, “Be not afraid!”   Being able to accompany others on their journey is a beautiful, sacred experience.  We all need encouragement, and sharing the road with another who will take the time to listen to our hearts is a blessing. 

I continue to learn and develop as a spiritual director by regularly spending time on retreat, participating in supervision sessions, and meeting with my own spiritual director on a regular basis.  

If something here resonates with you, I hope you will reach out! We can schedule an initial meeting so you can "explore" if this might be for you.  I am available to meet on Zoom, or in person if you live nearby.