Barat Spirituality Centre
1455 Summer Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4L6 CANADA
baratspirituality@gmail.com 902.456.6112
A ministry of the Religious of the Sacred Heart, United States-Canada Province
Do you have an interest in participating in Spiritual Direction? The people on this page are trained Spiritual Directors associated with Barat Spirituality Centre. If you'd like to be in touch with one of them, please call the Centre or leave a message through the Contact Us button on the side.
Dr. Beverly Musgrave studied Spiritual Direction and Ignatian Spirituality, at Guelph, Ontario and has been practicing Spiritual Direction for thirty years.
She taught at Fordham University in New York City; had a Private Practice in Pastoral Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy; Dr. Musgrave also developed a program called Partners in Healing, that worked with and trained people to minister to the sick. She is the Co-editor of two books and has published a number of professional articles. Presently, she lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 2011, Sr. Anne-Marie Conn returned to Halifax, Nova Scotia to reside at Barat Residence where we have now established a small spirituality centre. From 2013-18, she was a member of the Provincial Leadership Team of the United States–Canada province of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Prior to this she lived and worked for 5 years in the United States, following on 15 years on the leadership team in Canada.
The beginning of her time in the US was spent at Sprout Creek Farm, an educational learning center based on sustainable living. In 2009, Anne-Marie left there to study in Oakland, CA at Holy Names University. In the late 80’s, she worked at Anishinabe Spiritual Center in Espinola, ON and since then, has had a growing interest in an earth-based spirituality. Native Spirituality spoke deeply to her. This was enhanced while Anne-Marie was at Sprout Creek Farm and led her to explore the possibility of further study. She enrolled at Holy Name University in the MA Culture and Spirituality program. While there Anne-Marie was engaged by the Cosmology program at Genesis Farm, based on the writings of Thomas Berry.
Her journey has now led her back to Halifax, where she collaborates with others around the work of Spiritual programming and Accompaniment in which she has been engaged since 1991 in a variety of settings. She’s also an avid gardener and enjoys oil painting.
Barbara McVeigh is a married laywoman, mother and grandmother. She has been involved in the ministry of spiritual direction for thirty years. She was on staff as a spiritual director at the Jesuit Center of Spirituality in Halifax until it closed in 2015. She was then invited to exercise her ministry at the Barat Spirituality Centre where she continues her service. Barbara enjoys gardening, sailing, and being in nature in her spare time.
Donna Dolan RSCJ grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her background includes nursing, teaching, spiritual direction and programs at the Barat Spirituality Centre. She is a certified grief counsellor. A member of the Contemporary Art Society, she enjoys watercolour painting in her spare time and participating in art shows.
Fr. Earl Smith, SJ is a native Nova Scotia who joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1977. He was ordained a priest on May 30, 1987. His academic studies has a pastoral theology focus including counselling and an extensive training in the giving of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. He has many years of teaching experience and most recently completed a tenure as a pastor of St. Pius X Parish, St. John’s, NL. He is currently the ‘Moderator of Pastoral Care’ for Holy Apostles Parish, Metro Halifax, and does the work of spiritual formation with outreach presentations in Atlantic Canada.
Charles Pottie-Pâté sj is originally from Nova Scotia with Acadian roots. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1959 and has completed 62 years as a Jesuit. He taught liturgy and sacramental theology from 1980 to 2006 in various universities – in Toronto, Ottawa, Rome, Halifax. He has been giving the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola since 1970 in one form or another, accompanying people in their journey of faith. He had ministered in the Calgary diocese from September of 2011 and his ministry involved the continuation of his work with Ignatian Spirituality including the Spiritual Exercises, retreats, and spiritual direction and as Jesuit liaison with Christian Life Community – a lay association rooted in Ignatian vision. He had resided at St. Mary’s Cathedral Rectory in Calgary and is now assigned to similar ministry, after a year in St. John’s archdiocese, in the Atlantic region, based now in Halifax in the Halifax-Yarmouth archdiocese.
He plays the piano /organ and has been involved in liturgical music ministry. He enjoys swimming, hiking, theatre and music.
