Dear friends,

I recently attended a retirement party for one of my mentors, Sr. Dot Trosclair, OP. We gathered at Archbishop Aymond’s home to celebrate Sr. Dot’s decades of ministry that included the last 15 years as Executive Director of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Spirituality Center (ASC). It was a beautiful evening, and one that left me reflecting deeply on the power of mentorship.

I believe every person needs a mentor—a teacher, a person who sees something in you that you cannot see yourself. Someone who believes in you in ways you don’t quite understand. Sr. Dot is one of those people in my life. She invited me to stand beside her as her co-teacher and train the first cohort of spiritual directors in the Diocese of Baton Rouge when our partnership with the ASC began. While I was at the table helping discern bringing the spiritual direction internship to the Diocese of Baton Rouge, I did not at all think I would be—or was ready to be—one of the teachers of the cohort.

Sr. Dot believed otherwise. In August 2022, our journey of teaching began. She encouraged me every step of the way.  She shared her wisdom and experience generously. She told me, time and time again, that it is time for a new generation of teachers and spiritual directors. She patiently answered all my questions, despite the many times I asked her “why,” to better understand her methodology and pedagogy.

We graduated the first cohort for the Diocese of Baton Rouge in August 2024. I will never forget the graduation Mass with Bishop Duca, multiple priests, and our local Catholic university leaders, all of whom were part of our discerning group to bring the spiritual direction internship to our diocese. On a few occasions during that Mass, I caught the eye of one of our discernment group members and saw tears in their eyes, knowing that God had birthed something beautiful in our diocese.

On August 5, 2025, I began co-teaching a new cohort of spiritual directors. This time, instead of Sr. Dot at my shoulder, another colleague and dear friend, Stephanie Clouatre Davis, stands shoulder to shoulder with me. She was also mentored by Sr. Dot to train spiritual directors. We both know the giant shoulders upon which we stand to pass this wisdom on to the new interns.

Beside the new interns, at our classroom table, sit two other women who are discerning whether they are called to teach spiritual directors. Like Sr. Dot did for us, it is now our turn to mentor them and call forth the charism of training spiritual directors that we see in them.

Standing in the room at Sr. Dot’s retirement party, I saw the power of what happens when one person says yes to God’s invitation. Ripples happen that spread the Good News far beyond that one person’s yes. I kept thinking of the scripture of Elijah passing the mantle to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9-15). In leadership, we often need a mentor to help us step into our bold “yes” to God—the way Sr. Dot did for me.

What about you? Who are mentors in your call to lead with Christ? Who are you being invited to mentor and call forward?

To celebrate the gift of mentorship, I invite you to attend a retreat facilitated by two women I mentored over the past five years through Ignatian Ministries. Join Melinda Laird and Liz Aceves for their Anchored in Hope Live Virtual Retreat on September 12.  I believe in Melinda and Liz and their call to accompany people in their spiritual lives!

Know I am praying in gratitude for your mentors in your life!

Peace,

Becky

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