Confessor

[AZSVGirl]

How do you go about getting a confessor, or spiritual advisor? Do you just ask a priest to be your confessor?

 

[joamy]

I’ve heard a couple of suggestions - you can check with the main office of your diocese or check with your parish priest… . I have been asking the same question and haven’t tried these yet, so I am awaiting other suggestions as well.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

Some here at CAF want a dedicated person to hear their confessions - essentially establishing a relationship with a priest. This means shopping around until the qualities you seek are there. Others prefer confession to be anonymous.

Spiritual director talk to priests you like and respect if they would this job for you. Depends on how busy they are.

 

[baltobetsy]

You could try out several priests in confession. When you find one you like, keep going to him regularly. At some point, you could say, “I’m AZSVGirl, and I’ve been coming to you for Confession for the last X weeks. I’d like to come regularly for spiritual direction.” See what he says - he’ll take it from there.

Or you could just keep going to the same priest. He’ll get to know you and your struggles on his own. That would mean, however, that you should not go too deeply into things when there are people in line behind you.

Betsy

 

[Joannm]

You could try out several priests in confession. When you find one you like, keep going to him regularly. At some point, you could say, “I’m AZSVGirl, and I’ve been coming to you for Confession for the last X weeks. I’d like to come regularly for spiritual direction.” See what he says - he’ll take it from there.

Or you could just keep going to the same priest. He’ll get to know you and your struggles on his own. That would mean, however, that you should not go too deeply into things when there are people in line behind you.

Betsy

Not all priests do regular spiritual direction as that is a great commitment and responsibility. Also many priests are not that well trained in spiriutal direction only for occasional pastoral counseling. Many people prefer to go to one priest for confession and to another priest or a lay person, for spiritual direction. I have heard that as a recommendation from many different people involved in giving direction.

The best way to get a spiriutal director is through recommendation, then call and see if he or she is taking on any new directees. If you do not know anyone in direction, ask your pastor or confessor if they can recommend anyone. You will probably meet a few times to see if you are both good match, then set up a regular schedule of meetings, like once a month or once every six weeks. A good director does not tell you what to do but listens and helps you come to decisions. He or she is a companion on the journey so to speak. They are not there to teach you but to be, as the Irish say, a “'soul friend.”

 

[Sr_Sally]

Confession and spiritual direction are not the same thing. Ususally though once you have set up a spiritual direction relationship with a priest you can also go to them for confession. When I had a spirtual director, she was a Fransiscan sister, so obviously I could not see her for confession!

Finding a regular confessor is easier since you can do it as simply as just starting to alwaus be sure to go to the same priest each time. You can also make the relationship more formal by asking to schedule regualr confession with that priest by appointment.

To find a spiritual director, you can ask your priest who in your dioscese does that and make an appointment and ‘interview’ that person so to speak. You may not really need something as formal as true spiritual direction. An occasional meeting with your parish priest on issues broader than just confession of sins may be all you need.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Check with the chancery in your dioceses.

My dioceses, has a list of priest available for spiritual direction.

If your dioceses does the same, they’ll give you the name of a priest you can contact that is near you, but generally not in your parish.

As far as a good confessor goes, being with the priest in your own parish. If you can’t find a good confessor there, go to the next parish.

My confessor, who l love, is not in my parish. He serves as both confessor and spiritual director.

Jim

 

[IrishAm]

Back in the 1980s I had a wonderful spiritual director – she was a Sister of Our Lady of the Cenacle in Warrenville, Illinois. She placed me on a path from which I have sometimes strayed but have never lost.

 

[puzzleannie]

How do you go about getting a confessor, or spiritual advisor? Do you just ask a priest to be your confessor?

the priest to whom you confess your sins is your confessor. it is a wise practice to find a good priest and confess to him when possible, rather than to priest-hop, but certainly not mandatory. a spiritual director is someone, priest or trained lay person, who meets with you outside confession and is competent to guide you on your spiritual journey and assist you in discerning your progress on that road. Not every priest is gifted in this area, nor has time to do it, but you could ask him for a referral to someone. I think most people probably go to a religious order, monastery or similar place and ask for a referral.