Bernadette Rudolph

Bernadette Rudolph, MA, MS is Director of Facilitation and Strategic Partnerships at Cranaleith.  She has earned degrees in the liberal arts (BA, St. John’s College, Annapolis), religion and religious education (MA, Catholic University, Washington DC) and educational leadership (MS, Marywood University, Scranton), as well as a certificate in spiritual direction (Cranaleith Spiritual Center, Philadelphia).

Bernadette is a visionary thinker whose practical lens leads to results.  She is an engaging presenter and creative thought partner.  She is committed to welcome, mercy and respectful dialogue.  She knows from experience that, if people come together in true partnership, they will find themselves creating lasting solutions no one could have imagined on their own.

Secular Expertise: Bernadette has experience in the areas of strategic planning, appreciative inquiry, processing difficult experiences and team building.  She has in-depth knowledge of gardening and sustainability, CliftonStrengths, deep listening for communal decision-making, team growth and self-care practices.  All of her work in these areas is rooted in compassion, nonviolence and a belief in the power of life.  These provide her with an invitational tone that is welcoming, safe and encouraging.

Spiritual Expertise: In Bernadette’s current ministry, she facilitates deep listening to God’s Spirit in one-on-one spiritual direction sessions, with teams, parishes and retreat groups.  Her ability in leading communal discernment has been enriched by three years of animating synodality around the country.  She is a Biblical scholar, who has written reflections on the entire cycle of Sunday readings and has taught many courses on the Bible.  Bernadette has also led retreats on a variety of themes, including spiritual practices, eco-spirituality, hope, resilience, the Mercy charism, racial healing and handling adversity.

Bernadette has been a volunteer teacher on the Navajo Reservation, a middle school and high school teacher of literature, religion and math, a pastoral minister in a parish setting, a K-8 principal, adjunct faculty at several universities and the Director for Family and Community Development for the Diocese of Scranton. Bernadette is a certified spiritual director and member of Spiritual Directors International.  She also has served on the board of the National Association for Lay Ministry and currently chairs its Standards and Formation Committee.

Bernadette enjoys hiking with her husband John, long talks, feeding people delicious food and creating colorful gardens with plenty of tomatoes.  Her little grandson is the joy of her life. 

Deep within us all, there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine center, a speaking Voice to which we may continually return.  Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-worn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself.

Thomas R. Kelly, Testament of Devotion