spiritual directors

[mlz]

I would like to have a holy spiritual director but don’t know how to go about finding one. I realize it could be my priest,but not necessarily. I love my priest, but when I’ve asked him about things it seems he gives me no direction and admits the same struggle himself. Do I look elsewhere, and if so,where?

Thanks,
mlz

 

[Oneofthewomen]

You can ask your priest if he knows anyone who is trained in spiritual direction, remember not all priests are. Or try calling your diocese, they may have a list of people who offer spiritual direction. If you have a retreat center or monastery nearby you could check with them too.
God be with you in your search.

 

[BeeSweet]

I found my spiritual director through my participation as a sponsor in a RCIA program at my sister in law’s parish. It took almost a year for me to finally coordinate an appointment with her, and I’ve been seeing her now once a month for 3 years. She is a lay Basilian. My advice to you is to get involved in ministry, and be open and patient. God will send the right director your way in His time. The timing in which I found mine was truely divine! I would have liked to have found one sooner, but sooner would not have necessarily been better in my case. Trust in God, and pray He will send you the right director.

Also, check out your local Catholic retreat centers. If you have not made a weekend (or longer) retreat in the past year, then do that first. You will most likely find spiritual direction there.

God bless you in your search!

 

[In_Spiration]

I would like to have a holy spiritual director but don’t know how to go about finding one. I realize it could be my priest,but not necessarily. I love my priest, but when I’ve asked him about things it seems he gives me no direction and admits the same struggle himself. Do I look elsewhere, and if so,where?

Thanks,
mlz

Well, have you tried just meeting with a priest and asking for some spiritual advice on how you might go about this search in the holiest way for you personally?

Oh, wait. Right. Yeah, that is quite a predicament.

I’ve been looking into spiritual direction (and a regular Confessor) for the first time ever lately, and I’m having similar concerns. Out of the blue, though, I did recently find this blog on the subject in a link at New Advent’s home page. Based on just the little time I browsed, it seems like it could be helpful. In the mean time (and beyond, of course), may the Holy Spirit guide you onto the path God intends.

 

[GRATEFULONEjim]

I emailed our Diocese. I was given a list of Spiritual Directors within the Diocese and also directed to an Abbey within the Diocese that has many Spiritual Directors. You can also ask some other parishioners in your parish. It is a good way to get to know people in your parish, and that in my opinion is another huge problem we face. My prayers and wishes for you, G1j

 

[mountee]

I went online and found 3 people who were listed as Spiritual Directors in our area. You will have to pay for this type of service, but in general it is on a sliding scale.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Pray to the Holy Spirit and follow the advice of Oneofthewomen.

Be extremely cautious about finding a spiritual director online. It’s like finding a doctor through the Yellow Pages…except that doctors at least need to meet minimum requirements for licensing. Anyone can call him or herself a spiritual director and there are no requirements for certification.

Your best bet is to ask for a recommendation from someone you trust – your priest, a friend who lives a holy life, a monastery or retreat center, or your diocese.

 

[paduard]

Pray to the Holy Spirit and follow the advice of Oneofthewomen.

Be extremely cautious about finding a spiritual director online. It’s like finding a doctor through the Yellow Pages…except that doctors at least need to meet minimum requirements for licensing. Anyone can call him or herself a spiritual director and there are no requirements for certification.

Your best bet is to ask for a recommendation from someone you trust – your priest, a friend who lives a holy life, a monastery or retreat center, or your diocese.

I agree about being extremely cautious with regard to finding a spiritual director - either on line or otherwise. If you read St.John of The Cross you will find he was extremely wary of spiritual directors and he advised accordingly.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I agree about being extremely cautious with regard to finding a spiritual director - either on line or otherwise. If you read St.John of The Cross you will find he was extremely wary of spiritual directors and he advised accordingly.

Keep in mind that a good spiritual director is one of the greatest gifts God can give you.

 

[dconklin]

Along these lines… I just last week I began Spiritual Direction training. I still have at least a year of prep. I am on staff at a Jesuit led parish and a couple of our priests are all wonderful spiritual directors.

 

[g_ncl]

I would not do this online and I am surprised that some dioceses treat this as a job or role that is listed in directories.

When trying to find a spiritual director, I mostly pray because it has to be the Lord who shows me the right person. Then I would be especially attentive as to whether I meet anyone with whom conversation about God seems to help or inspire me.

While the spiritual director does not have to be a priest, I always have a spiritual director who is a priest because then I can confess to him, too, which both enables and ensures complete sincerity (not that you would not want to be sincere, but I think we are no strangers to involuntary “glossing over”; and also in spiritual direction you are not obliged to tell everything), and I think it helps a spiritual director if he knows that side (my sins, the things I struggle with), too.

When I am without a spiritual director, I first go to Mass in different churches and listen to priests. You can learn a lot about them from the homily, and a few times I have also been inspired by how a priest celebrated Mass. If I feel an inspiration, I go to confession to the priest and see if the advice he gives me in confession is helpful or whether it is something that touches depths in me (which may be a sign that the Lord sends him to be my spiritual director). Thus, through a process of discernment, I find the right person.

Hope this helps and I hope you find the right spiritual director soon.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

I know in our diocese it has been very hard to find priests to do this. Thus who get SD are mostly those contemplating a job/service/ordination in the church.

 

[SecretGarden]

You can also contact your local diocese and ask if they have any spiritual centres for example in Montreal we have the Ignation centre, or if they know of any religious who offer spiritual direction as well.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I know in our diocese it has been very hard to find priests to do this. Thus who get SD are mostly those contemplating a job/service/ordination in the church.

For the most part I agree with this, but add those discerning a vocation as well. There are some people who absolutely must have a spiritual director, and should not have to go to some random directory and hope you get someone you click with and is actually qualified. It frustrates me to hear people tell me our priest is their spiritual director so he can motivate them to pray. You don’t need someone with 7-9 years of philosophical and theological education to motivate you to pray.

 

[Batfink]

When I am without a spiritual director, I first go to Mass in different churches and listen to priests. You can learn a lot about them from the homily, and a few times I have also been inspired by how a priest celebrated Mass. If I feel an inspiration, I go to confession to the priest and see if the advice he gives me in confession is helpful or whether it is something that touches depths in me (which may be a sign that the Lord sends him to be my spiritual director). Thus, through a process of discernment, I find the right person.

I definitely second this, it’s how I found my SD and he’s perfect for me!