Spiritual Direction

  • Thread starter Thread starter Melodeonist
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Melodeonist

Guest
After confession today I asked Father about spiritual direction. Unfortunately he said he usually doesn’t do spiritual direction, but he said he refers people to them and asking him questions from time to time is also possible.

What should I do? I’d like to get a spiritual director to help me grow in faith and learn more about the faith. Should I ask Father to refer me to someone, or should I seek out someone? I love a few minutes away to a Benedictine Abby. Should I ask the nuns there to be a spiritual director? Thanks! 👍
 
I think , I could be wrong, but I think that seeking spiritual direction is more for those who are trying to get even closer to God. It is for those who are already practicing a disciplined life of prayer, or trying to, and they already have a good understanding of the Faith.

If you are just trying to grow in the faith and learn more about the faith, that is what you should express to your priest. Perhaps he could get a priest to do a parish mission. Take part in whatever classes your parish offers. Try attending the Mass as often during the week as you can and go to Confession regularly. There are many books that you can that will help you grow in faith. Lives of the saints is very good in motivating one to grow more. Now we have videos and many are on YouTube. Just be careful that you listen to the right sources.
 
Melodeonist said:
After confession today I asked Father about spiritual direction. Unfortunately he said he usually doesn’t do spiritual direction, but he said he refers people to them and asking him questions from time to time is also possible.

What should I do? I’d like to get a spiritual director to help me grow in faith and learn more about the faith. Should I ask Father to refer me to someone, or should I seek out someone? I love a few minutes away to a Benedictine Abby. Should I ask the nuns there to be a spiritual director? Thanks! 👍
Click to expand...
Having a spiritual mother or father or brother or sister is a great blessing. yes, go and ask the Nuns who will have had many such requests and will be able to help and glad to. I have been blessed all my life long to have and to give that kind of companionship along the way.
 
Zab is correct. For learning the faith look for courses and talks. Spiritual Direction is very different as it is not about learning the faith but about receiving direction to help with your spiritual life.

I am not sure how things are organised in your Diocese, but on this side of the pond, the Cathedral holds a list of Spiritual Directors. Most of them are lay and some are religious who have all undergone special training. I have met some lay Spiritual Directors and they are awesome. It might be worth finding someone who offers Spiritual Direction to find out if that is what you need or if it is something to put to once side until you are ready, while you explore the faith. Just a thought.
 
I don’t think you are quite ready for a Spiritual Director just yet… I think that it would be more beneficial if you were to do a reset on your RCIA training or at least audit one. You do need to revisit your basics in the faith. You need a better grounding and hopefully a better instructor that can clarify many of your questions. Speak to you priest/confessor about doing a “redo.” I am sure an instructor in the faith would love to have you sit in in on a class, esp. if the class had adults in it. In a sense, we could all benefit from a refresher course or a redo. Peace and prayers.
 
OP, having followed your posting for awhile, I don’t know that you’re deficient on the basics of the faith. I think you understand them reasonably well on paper. What you struggle with is actually applying them to your life in a grounded, common sense way. Part of this will just come with maturity, but a spiritual director would be a good thing too, I think.
 
Melodeonist said:
After confession today I asked Father about spiritual direction. Unfortunately he said he usually doesn’t do spiritual direction, but he said he refers people to them and asking him questions from time to time is also possible.

What should I do? I’d like to get a spiritual director to help me grow in faith and learn more about the faith. Should I ask Father to refer me to someone, or should I seek out someone? I love a few minutes away to a Benedictine Abby. Should I ask the nuns there to be a spiritual director? Thanks! 👍
Click to expand...
You “love” a few minutes away to an Abbey? Nice Freudian slip.

By all means ask them.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I think I’ll try calling the Abbey and see if they can do it, or I’ll ask Father to refer me to someone.

As a side note, do Benedictine Abbeys usually have a resident Priest? If so, I wonder if he could do it.
 
BoomBoomMancini said:
OP, having followed your posting for awhile, I don’t know that you’re deficient on the basics of the faith. I think you understand them reasonably well on paper. What you struggle with is actually applying them to your life in a grounded, common sense way. Part of this will just come with maturity, but a spiritual director would be a good thing too, I think.
Click to expand...
This.

Go back to your Priest and tell him the things you are struggling with. Let your Priest decide how to proceed.

Being frank , approaching nuns, given a few of your issues, isn’t the best. You need strong well grounded male direction.

Yes I said it. Male direction.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for all the replies! I think I’ll try calling the Abbey and see if they can do it, or I’ll ask Father to refer me to someone.

As a side note, do Benedictine Abbeys usually have a resident Priest? If so, I wonder if he could do it.
Click to expand...
You would have to call and find out if there is a resident priest there at the Abbey Melodeonist, or if there is one who is affiliated with them, who comes and offers Masses for them.

I went to a Catholic high school for girls and we had a resident priest there who lived on the premises next to the convent that was there. He taught at the school and offered Mass at the school, too.
 
I pray that our Lord will direct you to the right person to be your spiritual director.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top