How do I find a good spiritual director?

[Lifeisawesome]

How do I find and select a good spiritual director?

 

[SacredHeartFan]

How do I find and select a good spiritual director?

ask your pastor if he could recomend someone that is like you. normally jesuits are very good at SD because they are trained for it. or if you have a good religious community nearby like the benedictians who stay in one place would be great!

 

[fide]

How do I find and select a good spiritual director?

Hello again, Lifeisawesome. You certainly can set forth some good and big questions! This is an important one. However, a full answer calls for a book!

Do you speak here for yourself personally, or do you mean “How does one find a good spiritual director?” I ask this because your signature includes a blog specifically about Spiritual Direction - so why do you ask here, and not there? Or maybe you are just trying to gather folks into a discussion that interests you.

I preface my response because the question you ask really is a personal one. It presumes a term “spiritual director” that may have a range of meanings to different people. It presumes a common meaning for “good” in this context, but if different people are looking for different things, what is “good” will differ among them.

The Gospel reading today seems particularly significant to your question. It includes this:

Jn 1:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
Jn 1:36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Jn 1:37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Jn 1:38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
Jn 1:39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

The potential “spiritual director” (Jesus) that these disciples of John sought asked them, “What do you seek?” That question is crucial.

Maybe it would help if you could begin with an answer to your question, or to Jesus’s question - yourself, if you would. In doing so, you would help me at least to know what you personally are or would be looking for, in a good spiritual director.

 

[Shin]

How do you find a pearl in an oyster?

 

[Eucharisted]

How do you find a pearl in an oyster?

Prayer and scuba diving

 

[MarieVeronica]

I would agree about talking to your Pastor (or someone at your parish) in person. I tried one of those Catholic “online” Spiritual Direction sites. Even though I repeatedly attempted to establish a connection… they responded to my inquiries exactly twice… and then, I never heard from them again.

So… the online sources seem to be overwhelmed (I hate to say “inefficient”). When I have more time… I intend to talk to someone at my parish. God bless you in your search.

 

[Lifeisawesome]

Hello again, Lifeisawesome. You certainly can set forth some good and big questions! This is an important one. However, a full answer calls for a book!

Do you speak here for yourself personally, or do you mean “How does one find a good spiritual director?” I ask this because your signature includes a blog specifically about Spiritual Direction - so why do you ask here, and not there? Or maybe you are just trying to gather folks into a discussion that interests you.

I preface my response because the question you ask really is a personal one. It presumes a term “spiritual director” that may have a range of meanings to different people. It presumes a common meaning for “good” in this context, but if different people are looking for different things, what is “good” will differ among them.

The Gospel reading today seems particularly significant to your question. It includes this:

Jn 1:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
Jn 1:36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Jn 1:37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Jn 1:38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
Jn 1:39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

The potential “spiritual director” (Jesus) that these disciples of John sought asked them, “What do you seek?” That question is crucial.

Maybe it would help if you could begin with an answer to your question, or to Jesus’s question - yourself, if you would. In doing so, you would help me at least to know what you personally are or would be looking for, in a good spiritual director.

Fide

I do believe I have some insight into the answer to this question, and I do have a fantastic Spiritual Director. My desire here is to get more creative (name removed by moderator)ut for the blog rcspiritualdirection.blogspot.com/ and to help anyone listening in who would benefit from the insights you all provide. You are an extraordinary group of Catholics!

God Bless!

 

[Epistemes]

I tried one of those Catholic “online” Spiritual Direction sites. Even though I repeatedly attempted to establish a connection… they responded to my inquiries exactly twice… and then, I never heard from them again.

So… the online sources seem to be overwhelmed (I hate to say “inefficient”). When I have more time… I intend to talk to someone at my parish. God bless you in your search.

That’s interesting – thank you for sharing.

I’m praying that my pastor is able to find me a spiritual director (if not take the burden on himself) because I really need someone to speak to on a regular basis. I had given thought to doing the whole online scenario, but I was fearful that these individuals are so overwhelmed that it becomes difficult to act effectively.

Please pray that I’m able to find a spiritual director. Even one that I completely dislike would be better than nothing right now!

 

[Lifeisawesome]

I will pray.