Our founder Anna Rae-Kelly's spirituality developed through adherence to the deep well of Carmelite Spirituality and the Marian tradition of St. Louis de Montfort.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland,
Anna graduated from the University of Glasgow with a Master of Theology (M.Th.)
and earned a Master of Science (M. Sc.) from the University of Strathclyde.
Anna also holds a Diploma in Spiritual Direction in the Carmelite Tradition (SDCT)
from the Centre of the Pontifical Spirituality Institute (Teresianum), Rome.
She has worked for forty plus years in the Christian education field as a College Professor, Faith Formation Coordinator and School Teacher at all grade levels in Scotland and North America.
In her faith journey, Anna spent her formative years working for the Frontier Apostolate missionaries and founded an urban soup bus outreach program in the frozen winter streets of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. She lived in a L'Arche community home in Seattle and later assisted in the establishment of a community home in Wisconsin, USA.
Anna has worked in all stages of educational provision from Elementary and High School to University. She has developed and presented multiple Catholic and Christian Education series and retreats for religious and lay groups in North America and Scotland.
In 2000, Anna made the 33-day Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary in the model of St. Louis de Montfort. Since then, she has written and led the Total Consecration program as an annual renewal event in parishes throughout the North East of the USA and since 2020, due to the global COVID pandemic, Anna has offered the Consecration online to a global audience using social media.
In 2004, Anna established ARK Ministries "for the glory and honor of God" to offer support for presentations, programs and retreats on pastoral theology and contemplative spirituality throughout New England and beyond.
In 2006, she founded the annual, global Lay Fast for Priests which occurs annually on the third Saturday of October and now draws participants from every corner of the globe each year in a common day of fasting and praying for all priests - past, present and future.
Since 2008, Anna has been a member of the Order of Discalced Carmelites Secular (OCDS).
Anna is the author of two books, Seven Petals - a Seven Day retreat with St. Therese of Lisieux (2022), and God's Tapestry in Time - The Story within the story (2024).
Since 2014, Anna has been a featured speaker with the Catholic Speaker's Organization.
Anna and her husband, John, live in Massachusetts USA and have three children Anna, Christopher and Georgia and three grandchildren, John Stanley, Stephen and George.
