Via Maria Consulting is dedicated to helping inviduals and communities of faith grow in their relationship with God through prayer and discernment, understand the call to discipleship, and live fully their mission and vocation, empowered through the Holy Spirit and sacramental life of the Church.

Parishes are often busy and understaffed. Let Via Maria's years of ministry experience help you as you form disciples prepared for mission.

Our mission at Via Maria Consulting, LLC, is to assist individuals, parishes and businesses in creating a Christ-centered environment that allows for the deepening of relationship with our Lord, discernment of God's will through prayer and the carrying forth of the mission that God has created each of us to accomplish.
 

Judy Maten: Judy brings over 20 years  of experience in catechetics, adult formation, sacramental preparation, and evangelization at both the parish and Archdiocesan levels of ministry. Judy held the position of Director of Evangelization and Catechesis and Associate Director of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Detroit and also was Director of Religious Formation for the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, MI. A former chemical engineer, Judy holds an MA in Pastoral Studies from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Judy is a Master Catechist and commissioned Spiritual Director through Manresa Jesuit Retreat Center, Bloomfield Hills, MI. She is also trained to facilitate the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and leads Women's Ministry gatherings at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica. Judy is a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.

Mary Garlow: For Mary, the path to the development of Via Maria Consulting was paved through years of experience in Pastoral Ministry. Mary is the Director of Faith Formation at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Beverly Hills. Previously she has held positions as Senior Consultant with the Spitzer Center for Ethical Leadership, Coordinator of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Detroit, Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of Sorrows and Youth Ministry Coordinator at the National Shrine of the Little Flower. Mary holds an MA in Pastoral Studies from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan and is certified as a Master Catechist. She has given numerous presentations in diocese across the country and has expertise in productivity and organizational culture work.  Mary, and her family, has been active in the Focolare Movement since 1995. She is a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.

In addition to developing Via Maria Consulting, LLC and the Discovering Your Gifts Workshop, Judy and Mary are trained in the Called & Gifted  spiritual gifts discernment process, are certified teachers and interviewers and have been active facilitators for Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women), a women's ministry study program, and were hosts of Cross Connections, a daily show focusing on living the faith broadcast on Michigan Catholic Radio.

Via Maria Consulting, LLC subscribes to the principles of The Economy of Communion in Freedom, a business model followed by entrepreneurs across the world desiring to transform the culture of having into the culture of giving. We are honored to be a part of this network of professionals and provide more insights and information on the EoC at all presentations.
 
The Economy of Communion was founded in 1991 by Chiara Lubich of the Focolare Movement and received recognition as an exemplary model by Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate:

http://www.edc-online.org/?