About Me

mary eversI have had an interesting life, I must say. “Married with children,” I spent over thirty happy years as a teacher in Catholic and public schools. Somewhere along the line, I added the position of Director of Religious Education for my parish in the spare time I had between teaching and raising a family. (Spare time? What was I thinking??!!) At any rate, all was well, and one thing led to another in that inevitable way that it does. I was invited to become the Director of Liturgy at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago where I spent four challenging and delightful years working with the world’s greatest and most creative staff. During this very special time I became acquainted with artists, composers, authors and musicians from Ireland as Old St. Pat’s annually hosted the finest cultural event in the city for St. Patrick’s Day. My curiosity got the best of me, and before long, I set off for Dublin to attend a Celtic Spirituality course, and I immediately fell in love with Ireland and her people.

As a result of my work at Old St. Pat’s, I have had the very special privilege of writing the narration for several major St. Patrick’s Day concerts in Chicago: Brigid of Kildare (2002), and Kevin of Glendalough (2005) both in collaboration with acclaimed Irish composer and singer, Liam Lawton who will be featured this coming year on PBS. Recently, Bill Fraher and I collaborated to produce Song of the Immigrant Soul and The River of Life.

Leaving Old St. Pat’s, I took a volunteer position at Iona Abbey in Scotland for a couple of months. There I had the privilege of meeting Scottish composer John Bell and engaging in very creative liturgies. That same year I studied with Carolyn Myss (Anatomy of the Spirit, Sacred Contracts) at the Findhorn Foundation in northern Scotland. Finally, thanks to the encouragement of Irish author John O’Donohue (Anam Cara, Eternal Echoes, and Divine Beauty) I have written and published blessings and prayers in both Ireland and the United States.

In 2002 I began traveling to and from Ireland so frequently that friends would ask, “Mary, are you going to Ireland again? May I come with you?” And so began the little adventure I affectionately called Radical Sabbaticals. I now accompany people of all ages from 18 to 89 on sacred journeys to sacred places. I have walked the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, taken friends to Lourdes, Knock and Lisieux… and visited the battlefields of Normandy and witnessed the retiring of the colors at the American Cemetery. I have accompanied pilgrims to Iona and Lindesfarne, the Holy Island off the coast of Northumbria, and I have stopped in a pub or two, I must admit! I learned to dance the Kerry set and sang “The Fields of Athenry” at Durty Nellie’s. But, mostly, I have journeyed along with people in that deeper sense as they explore the mystery of God present in their lives and in the magic of the landscape. In my wildest imagination I fancy myself a dream launcher. I am privileged indeed!

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