About Us

Our Staff

Joanne Podlucky, OP, who joined the staff of the Dominican Center for Religious Development in the summer of 2005, is the Administrator of the Center. Sister Joanne, who earned a BA in English and an MA in Mass Communications from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, has been assisting the Center staff for quite a few years while she was a free-lance communications consultant and video producer working with not-for-profit organizations.

For over 12 years, her communications ministry led her to work on projects throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, the Dominican Republic and South Africa. Sister Joanne, a photographer, has had her photographs used in fund raising for ministries in the Dominican Republic and published in calendars, newsletters and photographic displays of the organizations with whom she worked.

She has also ministered at Mercy Health Services (now part of Trinity Health System) based in Farmington Hills, MI, first as Media Specialist and later as Director of Communications. She was Director of Communications for the Adrian Dominican Congregation, served as Interim Communications Director for the Sisters of Mercy Regional Community in Farmington Hills, MI, and held the same position for the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in Monroe, MI.

Sister Joanne also worked as part of a team that developed an award winning ad campaign for the Adrian Dominican Sisters, using billboards and a TV spot to raise awareness that religious life is a viable life choice for young women.

Prior to her work in communications, Sister Joanne was an educator in several small steel and coal towns in southwest Pennsylvania, in Montgomery, Alabama, and in the inner city of Chicago.

[ top of page ]

The Reverend Victor Clore has been a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit since 1965. He is presently Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Northwest Detroit, MI; Adjunct Instructor at the University of Detroit Mercy; St. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, MI; Marygrove College, Detroit, MI; and Sacred Heart Major Seminary. For the past ten years, he has ministered as an instructor and supervisor in the Internship in Spiritual Direction Program at the Dominican Center for Religious Development.

Father Clore has a BA in Philosophy from Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; STL in Systematic Theology from Gregorian University, Rome, Italy; MA in Clinical Psychology from the University of Detroit Mercy; PhD in Developmental Psychology from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI; Post-doctoral Fellowship in Philosophy at Boston College.

Besides ministering as Pastor of several Detroit parishes through the years, Father Clore has also served as Chaplain to the Wayne County Youth Home; Associate Director, Department of Christian Service, Diocesan Coordinator of Campaign for Human Development, Archdiocese of Detroit; Auditor, Metro Tribunal, Detroit.

Father Clore is writing a book-length manuscript tentatively titled The Heart has Many Doors: Integrating Psyche, Mind and Heart from Freud to Lonergan.

[ top of page ]

Teresa Disch, OP ministered as a spiritual director and a retreat director for 30 years. She joined the staff of the Dominican Center for Religious Development in 2006 as a Spiritual Director, supervisor and facilitator in the Internship in Spiritual Direction Program.

Sister Teresa has an MA in Scripture/Theology from St. John's University, Collegeville, MN; MDiv from Loyola University, Chicago, IL; MSW from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.

She also has experience in teaching, adult leadership development, parish ministry, pastoral counseling as well as formation of sisters and permanent deacons. Sister Teresa has worked with the Catholic faith communities in the dioceses of Detroit and Lansing, MI; Chicago and Rockford, IL; and Pueblo, CO.

[ top of page ]

Charlotte Hoefer, OP, an Adrian Dominican Sister, founded the Dominican Center for Religious Development (DCRD) in 1980. She was the Director of the DCRD for 23 years and during that time was engaged in teaching and supervising in the Internship in Spiritual Direction Program. She was part of the founding staff of the Internship Program at Marywood Center in Grand Rapids, MI, and also was instrumental in establishing the Internship in Spiritual Direction Program at St. Francis Retreat Center, Dewitt, MI, with Sister Carol Johannes, OP, and Sister Suzanne Eichhorn, OP.

Before she established the DCRD, Sister Charlotte ministered as a spiritual director, directed retreats and facilitated adult faith formation experiences. She continues those ministries and also continues to minister as a supervisor and facilitator in the Internship in Spiritual Direction Program at the Dominican Center for Religious Development, Detroit.

Sister Charlotte has a BA in Latin from Siena Heights University, Adrian, MI and a MA in Latin from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. She also holds an MA in Spiritual Direction and an MDiv in Spirituality from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge, MA. While at Weston she completed the Practicum in Spiritual Direction at the Center for Religious Development, Cambridge, MA. She has attended numerous post-graduate seminars in Spiritual Direction.

Sister Charlotte has been active in Spiritual Directors International (SDI) and for several years was the Southeast Michigan Regional Coordinator for SDI. She has given numerous presentations on spiritual direction, prayer, discernment and spirituality.

[ top of page ]

Rosemarie Kieffer, OP, an Adrian Dominican Sister served as Director of the Dominican Center for Religious Development from September1, 2002, through June 30, 2009. For 17 years prior to that, Sister Rosemarie was the Pastoral Administrator of a Detroit Parish that did not have a priest/pastor. Sister Rosemarie has also ministered as a teacher, Director of Religious Education (DRE), Director of Formation for the Adrian Dominican Sisters and as a Pastoral Minister.

She has an MA in Religious Education from the University of Detroit; an MA in Theology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Dominican Center for Religious Development.

Sister Rosemarie has been involved in Spiritual Direction for over 20 years and during that time has maintained close contact with the staff and with the ministry of the Center. Much of her ministry has been with the African American Community and with the economically poor in Detroit. She has also given talks on Racism throughout Southeast Michigan and has served on several committees on Racism.

Sister Rosemarie is a member of Spiritual Directors International (SDI) and served as SDI Regional Contact for Southeast Michigan for several years.

[ top of page ]

Nancy Mason Bordley has ministered in the areas of Religious Education and Adult Faith Formation, Worship and Music for over 35 years. She is a spiritual director and facilitates retreats. Nancy received a DMin from the Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, IN, an MA in Pastoral Studies from Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, MI. She received a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Dominican Center for Religious Development.

Nancy is founder and operator of her own business, Parish Services, which specializes in contracted lay ministry servicing the Archdiocese of Detroit. In addition, she is a co-author of ACTS: A Call to Serve, a program commissioned by the Pontiac Area Vicariate, designed to train ministers for voluntary service within parishes.

Nancy's ministry experience includes teaching Music Education, RCIA and Catechist Formation. Her background also includes many years of Music Ministry, Worship, Spirituality and Pastoral Care. Nancy has served in a number of parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit: St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Philomena, St. Maurice, St Malachy and St. Mary of the Hills. Currently Nancy is on staff at St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish in Auburn Hills. Nancy has served in the following parishes of the Archdiocese of Detroit: St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Philomena, St. Malachy, St. Maurice, St. Mary's of the Hills and is currently on staff at St. John Fisher Chapel, University Parish.

She is a member of Spiritual Directors’ International (SDI). Nancy and her husband Bob reside in Troy, MI.

[ top of page ]

Faith Offman holds a Masters of Divinity from SS Cyril and Methodius Seminary, an Undergraduate in Pastoral Ministry and Community Services from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and Siena Heights University. She received a graduate certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Dominican Center for Religious Development and is a Licensed Social Worker for the State of Michigan. She is a member of Spiritual Directors International (SDI).

For the past 25 years, Faith has ministered in the church at parish, vicariate, diocesan and national levels. Her ministries include Christian Service/Social Ministry, RCIA, Faith Formation, Pastoral Ministry, Grief support, teaching and Retreat work.

Faith has two children and four grandchildren. She and her husband, Steve, reside in Redford.

[ top of page ]