Dr. Clare McGrath-Merkle, OCDS

Dr. Clare McGrath-Merkle, OCDS studied at the University of Navarra, Spain, and Notre Dame of MD University, with a BA in modern foreign languages. She has an MTS from the Washington Theological Union with a graduate certificate in Carmelite Studies and a certificate in lay ministry, an MA in liberal education from St. John’s College, Annapolis, PhD ABD status in spirituality studies from The Catholic University of America, and a DPhil from the University of Augsburg, Germany. She has taught as an adjunct instructor at Benedictine College since 2022, as moderator with the Great Books Academy since 2019, and as seminar leader with the Symposium Great Books Institute since 2023. Her areas of expertise include the spiritual theology of the priesthood in light of the current crisis, as well as Eriksonian psychosocial theory. She has taught classes in spiritual theology, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, divine union in the Christian tradition, sacramental spirituality, and the Great Books. She has written a book, Berulle’s Spiritual Theology of Priesthood: A Study in Speculative Mysticism and Applied Metaphysics. She is a member of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality and The Sacra Doctrina Project, and founder of Our Lady of Holy Protection Society. She has a daughter and a granddaughter and enjoys traveling.