John Main Center for Christian Contemplation

Lisa Directo Davis is the Catholic Chaplain for Contemplative Practice, John Main Center Program Director. She oversees the Center’s meditation sessions, ecumenical and inter-religious offerings, and leadership formation for the diverse student team. In this role, Lisa seeks to foster a deeper integration of contemplative practices with compassionate action. She has loved serving in university and parish ministry in the States as well as overseas with the British Jesuits to launch the London Jesuit Volunteers and with non-profits in Sri Lanka and Cyprus, such as Emerge and Caritas. Lisa always aspires to cultivate welcoming spaces where students, faculty, and staff can explore in community or individually, their deepest heart questions about finding a spiritual home within, without, and across faith traditions, navigating life transitions, grief, and purpose. Lisa pursued interdisciplinary studies in Social Behavior and Ecology at U.C. Irvine, holds an M.Div. from Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary with the Benedictines in Minnesota, and earned a certificate for spiritual direction with the RSCJ’s at the Center for Christian Spirituality, University of San Diego. She is certified to teach Ashtanga-based vinyasa yoga. Beyond the Hilltop, Lisa loves time with family, Filipino sweets and siopao, afternoon tea, watching foreign films, and befriending local artisans.