RESOURCE TEAM

Sr. Theresa Smith, FCJ (also known as, Sr. Terry), B.Sc., M.Div., was born and raised in the Mission District of Calgary and attended St. Mary’s Girls’ High School before entering religious life at Sacred Heart Convent. After some years of teaching, she served as Pastoral Assistant in Moricetown, B.C. – now called Witset - for 16+ years. Her next mission was to Bolivia where she helped in a home for Alcoholics Anonymous before returning to Sacred Heart Convent in 2011.

Lisa Gilead is a Spiritual Director at the FCJ Christian Life Centre. Lisa received her certification through the Spiritual Direction Training Program at the Centre. Lisa offers individual Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Direction to individuals interested in doing the 19th Annotation. Lisa is a Faith in Action/Laudato Si and Resource Team member at the Centre. Lisa is also a member of the FCJ Companion in Mission (CiM), a lay group of women and men associated with the Sisters Faithful Companions of Jesus. Presently, she serves as the CiM International Coordinator.

Priya Denton is a certified Spiritual Director at the FCJ Center and a professional engineer working in the Energy industry in Calgary. As a lay person, I have experienced Scripture come alive to me through various Spirit led practices that have helped make Scripture relevant to my daily life and enabled me to be more attentive to God’s movement in my everyday life. This rich experience of God through Scripture is available for everyone and in this series of workshops, I am looking to share ways that you can enhance your time in the Word.

Pristine is a new addition to the Outreach Team at FCJ Christian Life Centre. Pristine is a former nurse with experience in research and education, as well as over 10 years of experience in pastoral care and ministry. Pristine is passionate about providing a holistic approach and responding to the growing needs of the youth and environment.

Sr. Ann Marie Walsh, a member of the Sisters Faithful Companions of Jesus (fcJ), offers individual spiritual direction and individual or group retreats at the FCJ Christian Life Centre and in parishes. Following many years in Catholic education, both as a teacher and administrator, Ann Marie received her training in spiritual direction with the Jesuits at Loyola House in Guelph, Ontario and served on staff there before coming to Calgary in 2012. Ann Marie loves the ministry of spiritual direction and delights in journeying with people searching for a closer relationship with God.

Sr. Joanna Walsh is part of a small FCJ community in Rhode Island. After some years in teaching, campus and parish ministry, her service now is mainly focused within FCJ community life, involving some leadership and administrative responsibilities. She does enjoy accompanying people in spiritual direction, finding God in their concrete daily experiences. 

Sonya is a trained Spiritual Director for 16 years and offers individual and group Spiritual Direction (“SD”), SD Supervision, and retreats with a focus on Silence, Nature, Scripture, Music, Contemplation and Prayer. She is one of the leaders of the Spiritual Direction Training Program (SDTP) and a member of the Resource Team at the FCJ Centre. Sonya’s background includes Master degrees in Divinity, Leadership and Ministry as well as advanced degrees in Music and Theology. She has been a music instructor and animal sitter for over 25 years and loves the beneficial healing attributes that naturally flow from both. Her deep passion for hospitality, faith-formation, and living an unconventional contemplative non-busy lifestyle exude through her charism and ministry style.

Patricia Harasym is a member of the FCJ resource team, a Spiritual Director with the FCJ Centre, an active member of Calgary Benedictine Oblate community, and a health services researcher with graduate degrees from the University of Calgary. Patricia has practiced contemplative meditation and volunteered in pastoral care and in social justice programs for more than 20 years. Patricia is married and has 2 children and 4 stepchildren.

Sr. Ita Connery, is a member of the Society of Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (fcJ). She has been in ministry for over 25 years at the FCJ Christian Life Centre. Ita also facilitates workshops and retreats internationally. She is extensively trained in Ignatian Spirituality, and is certified as a Mid-Life consultant, and in Jungian Psychology, having studied at the C.G. Ung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. Ita is creative, artistic, musical, and deeply spiritual.

Sr. Ger Curran, is a member of the Society of Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (fcJ). She is from Ireland. She joined the FCJ Centre Resource Team in the fall of 2015. Ger has worked as a counsellor for the past 27 years in various settings. Before that, she served as school administrator and teacher in a high school in Ireland. She is a member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Before qualifying as an accredited Counsellor, Ger completed a master's degree in Family Counselling from the University of Iona, New York. Since coming to Canada, Ger is working in the areas of counselling, interfaith matters, and helping refugee families. She is a member of the Calgary Interfaith Council and Calgary Council of Christians and Jews.