As a society, we’ve become a lot more comfortable discussing mental and emotional health and we offer support groups at the parish such as Project Hope, Caring for Others and Bereavement Support. But did you know that we can take a similar approach in our spiritual lives? Spiritual direction is a relationship between a trained director and another person (directee). The directee is someone who desires to grow in relationship with God and to find deeper meaning of life so that they can grow more fully in God’s presence. The spiritual director assists the directee in uncovering and discovering the direction of God in their everyday lives by listening and noticing the movements of the Holy Spirit within the directee.

We have a couple of Spiritual Directors who are members of the parish, as well as a dedicated space in the parish center for directors and directees to meet. You can reach out to Tammy Stewart in the parish center to find out more about our directors at St. Jude, or another option is to contact a discernment companion at the Archdiocese who helps potential directees find a spiritual director from a large database of spiritual directors throughout the archdiocese. A request for a spiritual director can be made to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Spiritual direction is (can be):
An experience that over time, helps you become more attentive to God’s presence and action in your life
Facilitates the growth of your relationship with God and can lead to a greater appreciation for the role of the sacraments in your life.
A contemplative approach rather than a psychological approach
Facilitates the formation of your growth (and/or development) in both the human and divine likeness of Christ
A process of seeking to understand and follow God’s will in all aspects of your life
Most particularly relating to your life of prayer and service, but not exclusively
Something that flows from and enriches your religious experience
A discernment of the movement of the Holy Spirit working in your life
A relationship of trust that involves a commitment to be open and candid.

Spiritual direction is not:
Directive in terms of telling a person what to do
Psychological counseling
Pastoral or crisis counseling
Life coaching
The sacrament of penance. However, if your spiritual director is a priest, you may discuss with him how the sacrament of reconciliation may fit into the direction setting.
Primarily advisory (although some suggestions might be offered)
Primarily informative (although there can be “teachable moments”)
Relinquishing of personal responsibility
Always comfortable
(Taken from Guidelines for Spiritual Direction)

What is a Spiritual Direction Session Like?  

Have you considered spiritual direction but you are nervous about what to expect?  Here is what a typical session is like with a spiritual director: 

• Most meetings are 50-60 minutes in length and typically you will meet once a month

• The initial meeting with a spiritual direction will be about getting to know one another. The director will ask questions about you, your spiritual journey, and what your expectations are for spiritual direction 

• Most directors offer the first session for free as it is a time for you decide if spiritual direction is right for you and if the director is a good fit. It’s okay if you decide against spiritual direction or if you decide you might want to try another spiritual director.  There are no expectations on the part of the director, and directors support your desire to find someone in which you will be comfortable sharing your faith life

• In a typical session you will reflect and share where you have been with God since the last meeting, while the director listens to you and the Holy Spirit. The director does not have a prescribed agenda for the session and does not push for anything more than what you desire to share

• A session may involve silence, prayer, talking, and perhaps reading Scripture. The director may make some observations to help clarify what you are hearing from God

• A relationship with a spiritual director lasts only as long as you desire

Who needs spiritual direction?

While anyone can benefit from meeting with a spiritual director, there needs to be the desire for spiritual direction, as well as having a regular prayer life. There are times in a person’s life when spiritual direction might be especially beneficial, such as transitions in life- transitioning from college to the workforce, a job change, retirement, becoming empty nesters, or discerning a vocation. Spiritual direction can also be helpful during times of loss, whether that is loss of loved one, job, or health. Someone might seek spiritual direction because they want to be held accountable in their spiritual lives or they are having some kind of crisis of faith. There are so many benefits to receiving spiritual direction. One might engage in spiritual direction for a season of life or ongoing. The goal of spiritual direction is to deepen our relationship with the God, to look to Him for direction in our lives, to grow in our prayer lives and to take care of our spiritual lives as we do our physical and mental health.

If you are curious about spiritual direction, you can reach out to Tammy Stewart  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..