Spiritual Director

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How does one find a spiritual director? My local pastor does not feel comfortable doing it and has given no suggestions?

Is it proper to go to a different city or diocese?
 
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Pecheur:
How does one find a spiritual director? My local pastor does not feel comfortable doing it and has given no suggestions?

Is it proper to go to a different city or diocese?
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Yes, it’s OK to go to another city or diocese. However, typically one can find a spiritual director through the diocesan office. Give them a call and ask about spiritual direction.

It’s also OK to inquiry monasteries or even lay organizations, such as Opus Dei, about spiritual direction.

:blessyou:
 
Is it better to use a priest as a spiritual director, so that the direction can take place within the sacrament of Confesson?
 
At my campus we have priests and nuns who give spiritual direction. Personally, I like having spiritual direction with a priest rather than a nun or layperson. I like the fact that I can go to confession and I have a confessor that knows the sins I have trouble with. I also find it easier to do things he suggests because the priest has authority in the Church. However, it is a personal preference.

God Bless
 
I recently obtained a Spiritual Director, and he is a priest.

There is a nun at my church that also does spiritual direction but she is a bit “progressive” so would not work.

I was very drawn to this particular priest and asked him that if he couldn’t help, could he refer me to someone?

So far I have not gone to him for confession since I’ve been seeing him as a Spiritual Director but it is nice to know that if I walk in to our appontment and need Confession, he will hear it as obviously that sacrament will take precedence over anything else! I would not be surprised to have him actually suggest Confession at some point as he is VERY perceptive.

Pray about it and ask God to lead you to the right person.
 
Contact your diocesan office. Spiritual direction is a specialized field of training and study. Don’t be surprised if you don’t connect with your first try either. It may take several appt’s with different directors until you find one you feel completely at ease with and get the best direction from. One size does not fit all. Peace! My spiritual director is a priest but it took me four diffent directors until we found a real fit and it is a wonderful experience. I visit mine around every 4-6wks.
 
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Pecheur:
How does one find a spiritual director? My local pastor does not feel comfortable doing it and has given no suggestions?

Is it proper to go to a different city or diocese?
Click to expand...
If you contact the office of layity in your diocese they will help you. I also recommend getting one that is a preist.
 
IS it hijacking this thread for me to ask what a Spiritual Director is for, and at what stage would a person want one? Does everyone have one, or is it a personal preference thing?
 
I also have a question about age? Do you have to be of a certain age to acquire a spiritual director. I would like one but I am afraid I am too young.
 
BloodandFire

I also have a question about age? Do you have to be of a certain age to acquire a spiritual director. I would like one but I am afraid I am too young.

MistyF

IS it hijacking this thread for me to ask what a Spiritual Director is for, and at what stage would a person want one? Does everyone have one, or is it a personal preference thing?

A spiritual director is one who assists you grow in spirituallity. Even though one is ordained a priest, not all are good or feel confortable guiding people in their spirituallity. It is wise when they admit this and recommend others.,

When I was in the seminary, they never talked of spiritual directors, but this would have been a huge assist. They help teaching how and what to pray and meditate on and guide you on becoming a holier person. They do not have to be a priest, although a priest is much more convenient so that you do not have to repeat yourself if you need the sacrament of reconciliation. If a priest, he can do both simultaneously.

If you read the lives of saints, they all had some type of spiritual director who would guide them in their lives of prayer and holiness. Looking at some of the lives, some saints were told to write what they learned and that is how some of the doctors of the churches writings were produced.

Not all do this. One needs to discern with the director if they need more sacrificing, reading the bible, prayer life, outside chariutable acts, etc.

There is no age limit. On witnessing my children’s lives, I think it would be good for them in the early teen years, especially when the hormones start to grow.

Hope this helps.

P…
 
I tried my diocese web site, and they did not offer a Ministry of the Laity. Any other locations?:confused:
 
Could I also hijack this thread and ask those of you with spiritual directors in what specific ways you find them helpful? How difficult was it to find a good spiritual director? Have any of you had bad experiences searching for a spiritual director?

I read a lot of stories of the saints and have seen it in the lives of those with professed religious vows. I think it might be helpful for me too, but it seems like such an intimate thing to discuss with another person. (That’s why I prefer being here at the Catholic Answers forum, asking advice from and discussing my spiritual life with total strangers on the internet 😃 )

I like the idea of combination spiritual director/confessor, but share all the details of my spiritual life with another man besides my husband seems odd. And I find a lot of woman in Church ministry push a feminist agenda and don’t recognize the call of some of us to mothering a large family. That view from a spiritual director would not help me at all.

I fear there is a lot of dissent from Church teachings in the field of “spiritual directors”. (Someone posted about the progressive nun who offers it at their parish.) And I heard some people use the term “spiritual director” when what they really meant was psychological counselor.

So basically, I think I’d like a good spiritual director, but don’t want to waste my time with some of what passes as “spiritual direction” which may do more harm than good. I’d like very much to read others experiences of how you found a good spiritual director and what good has come from that relationship.
 
Spiritual direction is the traditional name for a simple reality – looking at your experience in the company of a traveling companion. This companion can share your hopes, support you in your fears, and help you notice and respond to God.

My Spiritual director is a priest and is also my confessor. He focuses me in my ministry and in my every day life to what is really important, not the trivialities, not the burdens, but what I need most to focus on…what God wants of my life.
He encourages me to keep a faith journal, but admittedly, I am not very consistent in keeping…but when I do it really helps. He directs me towards readings, regularly praying before the Holy Sacrament in Adoration and many other things that have brought me closer in my walk with God.
Until I sought a spiritual director, I thought I had all the answers, and I was sadly feeling something missing. Since I have been going, I feel so much better in my faith journey. I was required to go to a spiritual director as part of my ministry, but I encourage everyone to go, it is not a burden in fact it is just the opposite. It is an unburdening of my load…I thought it was all up to me, when it reality it is all up to God. Spiritual direction gets me to let God lead. I highly recommend it. It is not a new thing either, it can be linked to our early church fathers. St.John Chrysostom wrote about it in the 4th century. Peace to you. Pray on it always
 
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