Just a thought

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Julie_de_Sales

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I recently realized how much I am in need of a spiritual father. Very often, when I talk to priests during confession or spiritual direction I have the feeling that I am paying a tax bill or asking someone directions on how to get to a certain street in the city. They try to be helpful and I’m sure they all have good intentions, but it seems like they don’t care so much about my soul. When I read about priests in the past, how they would call their penitents my daughter or my son, how they prayed for them and how they were really acting like spiritual fathers, I regret I didn’t meet them.
And also during my prayer, or when I hear the word God I think about God the Father. It’s kind of strange given the fact that Jesus should me more easy to connect with, because He was a man like us.
Well, I just wanted to share, maybe someone can relate to that.
 
Julie_de_Sales said:
Well, I just wanted to share, maybe someone can relate to that.
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:sad_yes:

Is your username an indication of devotion to St. Francis de Sales? If so, you already know that he urges little “Philothea” to pray earnestly to God for such a person to enter their lives, in his “Introduction to the Devout Life.” He says that God will grant such a request, even if He has to send an angel rather than a human being; but if perhaps He sends no one, He will Himself act as Philothea’s dearest friend and mentor.
 
Julie_de_Sales said:
I recently realized how much I am in need of a spiritual father. Very often, when I talk to priests during confession or spiritual direction I have the feeling that I am paying a tax bill or asking someone directions on how to get to a certain street in the city. They try to be helpful and I’m sure they all have good intentions, but it seems like they don’t care so much about my soul. When I read about priests in the past, how they would call their penitents my daughter or my son, how they prayed for them and how they were really acting like spiritual fathers, I regret I didn’t meet them.
And also during my prayer, or when I hear the word God I think about God the Father. It’s kind of strange given the fact that Jesus should me more easy to connect with, because He was a man like us.
Well, I just wanted to share, maybe someone can relate to that.
Click to expand...
I can. I am so sorry this is happening to you. It doesn’t make sense, does it?
In my case, I wonder about the intentions.
There is a disconnect that makes zero sense to me.
I have no problem connecting with Jesus, but connecting to Him through the priest that should be helping me (and 2 others), is absent. It’s as if the first one, and the deacons are phoning in their jobs right in front of me. It seems to me that we should be hearing something like, “How may I help you, my child?” when they see us in distress and/or ask for guidance. I really don’t know what else to think on the matter.

God bless.
 
Thank you for sharing…Yes - I think many of us can relate to this.

Part of the problem can certainly be the need to connect with the right spiritual director…the one we click with. Our parish priests are often times so busy - overwhelmed even - with the “business” of running the parish and looking after so many. It’s not surprising that they can seem detached.

I wonder - have you participated in - or looked into retreats in your area? You may one or more of these helpful…

Peace
James
 
Thank you for the replies!
Yes, my name is connected to St Francis of Sales, whom I deeply love and admire. I also read what he said in Introduction to the devout life and I prayed to be given a spiritual father for…many years by now. I guess part of the problem is also that I’m shy in approaching priests and asking for guidance; and if you don’t go to them, they will not come to you. Other thought related to this is that priests don’t have their own families and that we, the parishioners, are his children, and it’s normal to expect to be treated like that. I wonder where all that love and affection goes?
From time to time there are retreats in my area (I live in Europe) but I participated in just one some years ago. Usually I go to some days of recollection at a monastery near by when I feel the need.
 
An interesting topic, I must say!

It just occurred to me now that I’m now QUITE feeling the connection with Him as I should in the confession room.

I feel a calling, and I always think how I would be compassionate and helpful and polite and nice and so on, especially in the confession room. But the truth is, what if I “end up” like the priests you described? Maybe we think it’s a lot easier than it really is. In any way, if I do end up being a priest, I hope I will be a “priest from the past”. 🙂
 
Julie_de_Sales said:
I prayed to be given a spiritual father for…many years by now. I guess part of the problem is also that I’m shy in approaching priests and asking for guidance; and if you don’t go to them, they will not come to you.
Click to expand...
You were supposed to be praying for a telepathic priest. 😃
 
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