Deacon Ed McCormack

M.A., Ph.D.
Coordinator of Intellectual Formation

In August 2013, Deacon Edward McCormack joined the formation faculty at Theological College. Over the years since that time, he has served in different roles: Director of Pastoral Formation, Director of Human Formation, Coordinator of Spiritual Retreats and Conferences, Coordinator of Human and Spiritual Formation, and adjunct professor in the Catholic University D. Min. program in the area of Christian spirituality.   In July 2020, he assumed responsibilities as Coordinator of Intellectual Formation. Deacon Ed serves as a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington and he has a YouTube channel titled Deacon Ed McCormack.

He earned a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology at Catholic University and an M.A. in Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J.  He has been teaching theology for 30 years and training men and women for ministry in the Church at both the master’s and doctoral levels for 15 years. Ed has served on the faculties at the Dominican House of Studies, St. Mary’s Seminary & University, and Washington Theological Union, where he was an associate professor of Christian Spirituality and the Chair of the Spirituality Department.  Ed taught courses in Systematic Theology and Christian Spirituality, specializing in Ignatian spirituality.

His research interests focus on the intersection of Christian spirituality and pastoral practice. In June 2020, CUA Press published Deacon Ed’s  dual-volume work, the first ever on formation advising: A Guide to Formation Advising for Seminarians/Seminary Faculty. Some of his other publications include: “Finding God Actively Relating to Us in Our Secular Age” in Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction, September 2021; “Transformative Preaching” in Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Fall 2015; “Understanding St. Ignatius: Spiritual Father of Pope Francis” in Aleteia.org, February 24, 2015; and “Accompanying Another through Loss: Ignatian Insights” in Presence:  An International Journal of Spiritual Direction, Spring 2014.  In progress is a book about guiding a person through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

For three decades, Ed has devoted himself to adult faith formation, directing retreats in the Ignatian tradition, and guiding others through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.   He continues to minister as a permanent deacon at St. John the Baptist Catholic Community in Silver Spring, Md., where he preaches regularly. His homilies and other videos on Christian life can be found on his YouTube channel, Deacon Ed McCormack. Ed is a family man with a wonderful wife and two beautiful girls who keep him very busy.