Spiritual direction in the Eastern Churches?

[Marie5890]

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is it ok for someone in the Latin Church to receive spiritual direction from someone in one of the Eastern Catholic churches? Does that option even exist?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[pianistclare]

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is it ok for someone in the Latin Church to receive spiritual direction from someone in one of the Eastern Catholic churches? Does that option even exist?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut.

Why do you want to?
No, I’ve never encountered anyone doing that.
Do you feel like no one is available? There’s lots of great advice in your previous thread.
I’d start there.

 

[Marie5890]

Why do you want to?
No, I’ve never encountered anyone doing that.
Do you feel like no one is available? There’s lots of great advice in your previous thread.
I’d start there.

Why not? The Lord’s Bride is very diverse. No reason to think one dimentionally

Yes I saw that advice as well, but I knew I would be more likely to get feedback on Eastern Catholics here in this forum etc.

Just being logical.

 

[Reuben_J]

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is it ok for someone in the Latin Church to receive spiritual direction from someone in one of the Eastern Catholic churches? Does that option even exist?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut.

It’s complicated. Depending on your situation and the kind of spiritual direction that you require, I would say it can be considered as an option. I am saying on a simple basis that EC are in communion with Rome.

 

[XuDan]

It’s complicated. Depending on your situation and the kind of spiritual direction that you require, I would say it can be considered as an option. I am saying on a simple basis that EC are in communion with Rome.

Why? Why must it be complicated? Eastern Catholics are still Catholic, why must it be be complicated for one Catholic to seek advise from another Catholic Spiritual Director? In the end both are Catholic…

 

[SteveVH]

Why? Why must it be complicated? Eastern Catholics are still Catholic, why must it be be complicated for one Catholic to seek advise from another Catholic Spiritual Director? In the end both are Catholic…

I agree completely. I think there is insight to be gained from Eastern Catholic thought; nothing new, per se, but a different angle, maybe. I love their liturgies. But choosing a spiritual director, while Catholic theology is all important, much more depends upon the particular priest, rather than whether his background is Eastern or Latin. I am sure there are many wonderful Eastern Catholic priests, but there are many Latin rite priests as well who would be great spiritual directors. And the Latin rite priests live in your own culture and may understand your situation better than one who comes from another part of the world.

Steve

 

[Reuben_J]

Why? Why must it be complicated? Eastern Catholics are still Catholic, why must it be be complicated for one Catholic to seek advise from another Catholic Spiritual Director? In the end both are Catholic…

I said one can consider it as an option; so I do not rule out using an EC as one’s spiritual director. Theoretically there should not be an impediment as theologically we are one, in that the EC are in Communion with Rome.

If you ask me personally, choosing a spiritual director is always complicated. It depends on what kind of spiritual direction that you require and what spirituality you are practicing. In our experience, even such thing as inviting speakers to speak to us or to be retreat masters, we would like to know their background, not just being from the clergy. They would be people who know who and what we are, putting it simply.

So if you have an EC who knows you and your spirituality, then why not?

Reuben

Edit: Probably in our situation it is easier to find a Latin Rite person as we are not familiar with people from the EC. Perhaps the consideration is more in a practical sense.

 

[KnitNut]

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is it ok for someone in the Latin Church to receive spiritual direction from someone in one of the Eastern Catholic churches? Does that option even exist?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut.

I don’t have a dog in this hunt…but I’m just curious why this thread is in the Non-Catholic Forum, vs say, the Eastern Catholic forum…where actual ECs might be more likely to see it & offer actual experiences with Eastern Catholic spiritual direction. Just a thought.

 

[SteveVH]

I don’t have a dog in this hunt…but I’m just curious why this thread is in the Non-Catholic Forum, vs say, the Eastern Catholic forum…where actual ECs might be more likely to see it & offer actual experiences with Eastern Catholic spiritual direction. Just a thought.

And a valid one! The thread should be moved.