Formatio in Caritate

Julie O’Connor is a spiritual director providing both individual and group spiritual direction, a member of Spiritual Directors International, a certified Enneagram instructor/coach, and a retreat facilitator. 

She served in Mission Leadership and Spiritual Formation at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, TN, and at Ascension Health National Office for 41 years. Her focus was primarily to help leaders and associates integrate their sense of ministry, spirituality, and vocation into their lives and work and to help build true community to better serve the hospital’s Mission and Values.

Julie co-designed a program to certify facilitators to lead retreats at Ascension which prepares them to offer spiritual and formative experiences that are engaging, meaningful, and transformational.  

MISSION AND MOTTO: Julie’s mission is to continue her spiritual journey to wholeness in union with God and to assist others to grow into the fullness of who they were created to be as they awaken to their belovedness and respond to the unfolding path of their vocation. Her motto or phrase that frames her beliefs and work is Formatio in Caritate: formation/formed in love.

EDUCATION: A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Julie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Alabama.  She received her MA in Pastoral Theology from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, Indiana, her Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Stillpoint, Inc. in Nashville, and completed the Group Spiritual Direction training program from Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.  In the Spring of 2021, Julie completed Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault's  Introductory Wisdom School sponsored by the Center for Action and Contemplation.

ENNEAGRAM: Julie first learned about the transformational opportunities of the  Enneagram, a map to greater self-awareness,  in the early 1990s and has been a teacher since 2011.  She has received certifications in The Enneagram Spectrum with Jerome Wagner, Ph.D.;  The Enneagram in Coaching 1.0 and The Advanced Art of Enneagram Typing 2.0 from the Enneagram in Business with Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Ph.D.,  Enneagram Certification in Conscious Living with Russ Hudson and Jessica Dibb and  Enneagram Teacher Certification with Russ Hudson, Jesica Dibb and Gayle Scott. Other trainings include The Enneagram and Grace: 9 Journeys to Divine Presence with Russ Hudson and Richard Rohr, OFM, and Ancient Spiritual Origins of the Enneagram as a Path for Self Discovery and Wholeness with Russ Hudson.

FUN: When not cheering for the Crimson Tide, Julie enjoys golf, kayaking, walking, spiritual reading, and porch pondering with a cup of tea and her new pooch Jesse.