About Mary

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Mary's special interests include discernment and the Spiritual Exercises. Her spiritual practices include contemplative prayer, studying the Catholic mystics and theology, and expanded-day silent retreats.

Mary shares her knowledge of the enneagram to encourage understanding of self and others to create more compassion in the world. 

Mary converted to Catholicism in 2011. She was raised in the Protestant tradition in Louisiana. After a post-graduate internship, she moved to NYC to work as a microbiologist at a renowned cancer center. 

Masters in Pastoral Studies (MPS) and Certificate in Spiritual Direction (CSD), Spring Hill College, 2019

Mary has earned five enneagram certifications, including enneagram practitioner, coach, and typing professional. Over 300 hours of class time:

• The Narrative Enneagram Practitioner (includes a practicum for typing and integrating the enneagram with SD)

• Enneagram Atlanta Practitioner

• The Enneagram in Business, coaching 1.0, advanced coaching 2.0, and typing and training.

Affiliate spiritual director, Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center in Atlanta, GA. 

Spiritual director for weekend spiritual conversations with retreatants at Ignatius House

Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) Volunteer Retreat Facilitator, women in recovery from homelessness and addiction, Ignatius House

Spiritual director reflection contributor for The Contemplatio podcast, Ignatius House 

Member of Spiritual Directors Collective led by Becky Eldridge, Ignatian Ministries, 

Silent Retreat spiritual director, Ignatian Spirituality Center (ISC), https://ignatianspirit.org/,https://ignatianspirit.org/ led by Spring Hill College and the Visitation Monastery, Mobile, AL.

St. Vincent de Paul

RCIA catechist and sponsor for several years

Eucharistic minister

Case sponsor and advocate for annulment petitioners for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Metropolitan Tribunal

Ignatian Volunteer Corps sponsored by Ignatius House in Atlanta, GA. Assigned to Lutheran Services of GA, Development Dept.  LSG Volunteer, Ignatian Volunteer Corps Member Mary Maio Lends a Hand, Creates Smiles — Inspiritus (weinspirit.org) 

Mary follows SDI Ethical Guidelines for Spiritual Direction and meets regularly with her spiritual director and with her supervisor.  

It is important for spiritual directors to continuation of formation of their spiritual lives with great care. Mary often takes courses offered by Spiritual Directors International, The Office of Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatian Ministries, Ignatian Spirituality Project, and Enneagram workshops.

Mary meets and studies online with several writers and professors who specialize in governmental and political systems. 

They include Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, American Historian, Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Dr. Anne Applebaum, both experts on worldwide authoritarianism, as well as Dr. Joanne Freeman, a Revolutionary War professor at Yale.

These professors voluntarily provide guidance in American and World History to shine light on current lived experiences.