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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION Spiritual Direction is the help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him/her, to respond to this personal communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship. A Spiritual Director is a person who knows the Spiritual life, can share his faith and help people discern God’s will in their lives. The Spiritual Director does more listening and praying than advising. A Spiritual Director is a “sounding board”, a confidant with whom our deepest desires and disappointments can be shared in faith, with a view to growth and healing. Spiritual Direction tales place when two people agree to give their full attention to what God is doing in one (or both) of their lives and seek to respond in faith. Whether planned or unplanned, three convictions underpin these meetings: (1) God is always doing something: an active grace is shaping this life into a mature salvation; (2) responding to God is not sheer guess-work: the Christian community has acquired wisdom through the centuries that provides guidance; (3) each soul is unique: no wisdom can simply be applied without discerning the particulars of this life, this situation. The faithfulness of God is at the core of spiritual direction. When we seek spiritual direction, we are utterly dependent on God and God’s love reaching for us. Willingness to place our hope in God is also a necessary element. We long to experience God’s presence in this shattered, exquisite world and need help to believe in our own ability to recognize God’s voice. We need encouragement to trust God to be God, to trust the Holy Spirit in another person, and to trust God for a particular spiritual direction relationship. It is helpful to remember that all initiative is not ours. In fact, any movement on our part (regardless whether it be voluntary or necessity for the discernment of a vocation) toward God through spiritual direction is an indicator that God has been seeking us. The prayerful context of spiritual direction becomes the environment for speaking, listening, doubting, questioning, challenging, teaching, counseling, clarifying, discerning, affirming, restoring, comforting, healing, and encouraging. It provides an open space for us to talk, pray, and pay attention with someone who listens to us speak about our hopes, dreams, and fears and respects the way we perceive the realities of God with us. Spiritual Direction conversations contain cognitive and affective information and responses. We talk about what we think and what we feel. We describe concepts, understandings, and emotions and notice our responses even as we speak. There are moments of silence and times when we are aware of newness and of the Spirit’s presence. We are often touched with gladness. Spiritual direction helps us hear, recognize, and pay attention to the voice of our faithful love who is God. Why
Spiritual Direction?
Qualities of a Good Spiritual Director
A Spiritual Director should be a different person than the Confessor. Neither should be a priest from the parish at which you attend Mass (are assigned after ordination); however, the confessor can be from the parish if both people are comfortable with the situation. During formation, the selection of a Spiritual Director should always be approved by the Director of Diaconate Formation. In the ideal situation, a list of qualified and approved Spiritual Directors should be provided to the Aspirants and Candidates. During formation, an aspirant should meet with the Spiritual Director at least every four to six weeks. After ordination, the frequency of meetings will depend on the person and his/her needs, suggestions of the Spiritual Director, the Holy Spirit. Frequency of meetings with your confessor always depends on the person and his/her needs and God. I would suggest once a month. What Spiritual Direction must not be!!!
Deacon Tony Detje Diocese of
April 25, 2007 |