Michael received his certificate to practice spiritual direction in the Ignatian tradition at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville, PA in 2014 and his certificate to guide the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius from the West Virginia Institute for Spirituality in 2016. He has a private practice of direction comprised of mainly Catholic men, although he directs women and members of other faith denominations as well. Through spiritual direction, he desires to assist his directees in developing stronger, more intimate relationships with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit through prayer, meditation, reading and discussion. He particularly enjoys working with people for long periods of time to watch how God works in their lives. He has worked with the majority of his directees for four years or more. He conducts directing sessions all over the Triangle at mutually agreed upon locations.
As a member of Holy Infant Church in Durham, he was on the Core Team for Intergenerational Faith Formation where he developed annual training plans and created and led individual training sessions. He also led a team of three people that conducted multiple Live Jesus weekend retreats. Currently a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Raleigh, Michael was on the team that developed a Spiritual Direction Ministry at the parish. He is also a participant in the Faith and Racial Equity and Healing courses, a member of several book clubs formed to explore particular topics and a small group facilitator in the Know, Believe, Live program.
Michael was a CPA with an international public accounting firm for 31 years and an internal audit, risk and compliance executive at Duke University for 13 years. He has a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Accounting from Syracuse University. His two children and four grandchildren all live within three miles of his and Rosemary’s home in North Raleigh.
Michael can be reached at Michael.l.somich@gmail.com or on his cell phone at 919-812-6280.