212-627-2100 ext.207
lmdiaz@sfxavier.org
Luz Marina Díaz was born in Caracas, Venezuela. In her early years, she worked as a system analyst and danced, choreographed, and taught in two major dance companies in Venezuela. She discovered her vocation as a spiritual director, liturgical dancer, and religious educator in 1994 when she moved to New York.
Díaz has 22 years of dedicated service in catechetical leadership and has been Director of the Religious Education Program at Xavier since August 2007. She oversees the Family Faith Program and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). She coordinates private and communal baptisms and prepares parents and godparents for their children’s baptisms. She is also a member of the Liturgical Ministry, ISEL (Ignatian Spirituality in Everyday Life), and the Interfaith Committee.
Diaz holds a degree in Computer Science from Universidad Central de Venezuela, a Master of Arts degree in Religious Education (M.A.) from Fordham University, and a Doctorate in Religious Education from Fordham University (Ph.D.). Diaz received an Advanced Certificate in Spiritual Director with a concentration on guiding and teaching The Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola from Fairfield University and an Advanced Certificate in Supervision from Fordham University. In 2009, she began accompanying people in spiritual direction through one-on-one and group spiritual direction, 19th annotations, and Ignatian-directed retreats at Eastern Point Retreat Center. Her role as a supervisor for spiritual directors began in 2018. She is an adjunct professor of spirituality and Director of the Spiritual Direction Practicum at the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University.
Publications:
“Reclaiming Our Original Identity: Communion, Community and Ministry.” The Way 63, no. 1 (January 2024).
“Separation: An Illusion.” Human Development 43, no. 4 (2023).
Diaz, Luz Marina. “IFS-Informed Spiritual Direction and Supervision.” Presence: The Journal of Spiritual Directors International 28, no. 4 (December 2022): 38–55.
Who Was the Venezuelan ‘Doctor of the Poor’ Pope Francis Just Beatified?” America Magazine. May 07, 2021. https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/05/07/doctor-jose-gregorio-hernandez-venezuela-miracles-covid-19-beatification-240616.
“Spiritual Conversation as Religiously Educative.” Religious Education, 2016, 1-18. doi:10.1080/00344087.2015.1113039.
“Spiritual Conversation as the Practice of Revelation.” The Way 55, no. 2 (April 2016): 43-54.
