Staff Biography

Deirdre Manning Ostry, M.Div., NACC
Chaplain
Areas of responsibility: Retreats, Interfaith Outreach, Spiritual Formation

It has been a wonderful journey receiving my education, training, and now employment at Loyola University Chicago. This year begins my fifth year as a chaplain at University Ministry. Having a passion for spirituality and healing, I have been blessed to have received many opportunities to minister with and to fellow healers – medical students, physicians, staff, and colleagues. Among the guiding principles that ground my ministry is the quote displayed in our atrium: “I was ill and you cared for me.” All around me, I am privileged to witness hardworking, compassionate, and generous women and men committed to caring for the least of our sisters and brothers. These living examples fuel my work with students and staff in providing spiritual support, formation, planning retreats and multi-religious presentations, and encouraging others to “be still and know God” in the midst of a very busy pace.

What keeps me grounded personally includes my loving and supportive husband, R.J., of eight years, exercise, especially long walks outside, centering prayer, reading spiritual books, participating in our faith community, visiting my amazing family and friends across the states, writing, and music.

If you have any questions about retreats, faith sharing, multi-religious dialogue, our chaplain mentor program or centering prayer, please ask me.