Divine Heart with Rizza

Rizza Bella Hohenstern has a Certificate of Spiritual Direction and Masters of Pastoral Studies from Spring Hill College. She completed both her Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health Fellowship through Emory Spiritual Health. Rizza’s family immigrated to Milledgeville, GA where she grew up in a traditional Filipino home. A “cradle Catholic,” she first encountered spiritual direction through her own discernment journey in her mid-20s. Because of spiritual direction, Rizza’s faith grew beyond just trying to determine God’s will for her life and doing it. A life of faith became a way of living in communion with God, knowing God’s active presence in her day-to-day, and surrendering in trust and courage to act out of that foundation of loving grace. Through spiritual direction, she encountered the core, personal, unconditional love of God which offers great joy and healing. And as a spiritual director and a spiritual health clinician, her heart is open to people of any or no faith tradition.

Rizza is passionate about the listening and companioning ministry of spiritual direction and feels honored to provide a safe, compassionate, encouraging space for a person to encounter and wrestle with God and grow in an authentic, life-giving relationship with God. She sees such power and grace in recognizing for oneself that Divine Presence does in fact radiate within oneself. She has accompanied both young and older adults. Rizza finds it a true joy to witness the unique, intimate, patient, and tender ways that God loves, heals, communicates with, and interacts with each individual.

Rizza encounters Divine Presence within the clinical setting as well. As a spiritual health clinician, she meets people where they are, prioritizing a supportive, non-judgemental, non-anxious, open, compassionate presence for patients, family, and staff to process medical experiences. It is an honor to share such sacred spaces with careseekers and witness to the variety of inner sources of healing, wisdom, and resilience that they possess.

Rizza also shares the joy of God’s love as a volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, enkindling Hope in people in need and facilitating the spiritual growth of leadership as SVdP Ga’s District 2 Spiritual Advisor. Rizza and her husband Joe enjoy international missions especially through Mustard Seed Communities and Missionaries of the Poor.