The Emmaus House Team

Ann O’Sullivan is a La Retraite sister and co-founder of Emmaus House. Her background is in Ignatian spirituality and she has a particular interest in working towards an integrated approach of bringing together the spiritual, psychological and physical aspects of what it means to be human.  So often the spiritual can be seen as something separate, whereas her belief is that it belongs alongside and is part of the whole personality. 

Ann brought the MBTI® into the UK in 1980 and has been facilitating the learning of this instrument over the past 28 years, bringing to it a wealth of understanding and practical use.  She has worked in many countries and with a wide variety of people.  As an associate of OPP (Oxford Psychologists' Press) and a member of their Training Faculty, she works on all the sponsored professional MBTI® training programmes at Emmaus House in Bristol.  She has developed a number of 2-day workshops for those who are qualified practitioners (and others who are interested) in various areas of the MBTI®: Type Dynamics and Type development, Managing Change, Conflict/Stress, Coaching, Leadership, Spiritual life/prayer and the Shadow side of the personality. Some of these are co-taught with other OPP Associates. 

After a number of years teaching the Enneagram personality system in a didactic form, she trained with Helen Palmer and David Daniels in the Oral Tradition of the Enneagram and qualified in 1995.  Here too, she has continued to develop a number of workshops and has involved other teachers in presenting them. 

Ann brings a creative edge to her work, especially in Liturgy and different forms of worship/prayer and retreats, for she finds it a privilege to be with others on their life’ journey. Whilst often working with groups, she offers individual spiritual accompaniment and coaching.

Sister Liz

Michael Healy is a priest in the Diocese of Clifton, where he was ordained in 1971.  He has been teaching the Enneagram in Bristol for over twenty years. During that time he took the advantage of studying under Helen Palmer and David Daniels in the USA for a further three years, richly benefiting from their expertise in opening up this ancient oral tradition.  The Enneagram is often spoken of as a ‘tool of compassion’ and he is finding it an ideal foundation or map for most kinds of spiritual work.

Ever since his first visit to the Holy Land shortly after Ordination, he has found himself returning again to the over-flowing sources of Scripture.  He felt  fortunate in drawing on a firm foundation laid both at the Gregorian University in Rome and from being able to follow various courses at the Pontifical Biblicum Institute.  The list of inspiring teachers is seemingly endless, ranging from David Stanley SJ and Raymond Brown SS to Jerome Murphy-O’Connor OP and Denis McBride CssR.  Drawing on their insights and from his own recent sabbatical time in Jerusalem, Michael has enjoyed preparing papers and leading days on various aspects of Scripture.  Such discoveries continue to surprise, delight and dare he say it, deepen his own spiritual reservoir. 

Considerable help in this regard has been afforded by belonging to an International Satsang Association.  Founded by a Sacred Heart sister Ishpriya, the aim of this organisation it to promote a ‘planetary vision and a universal heart’.  The high ideals this presents are met by making a triple commitment, which revolves around a regular spiritual practice.  It entails committing oneself to breaking down barriers of prejudice that sow among division different groups in whatever way we can. Moreover it challenges us too to build bridges of friendship between religious faiths, creeds and cultures.

Michael is currently resident at Emmaus House as a member of the team running this centre, and working with groups and individuals.   As well as this he has the privilege of serving the people of St.Pius X in Withywood – Hartcliffe (Bristol) as their parish priest.