Comments on: Concern about seeking out and approaching a spiritual director? – Part I – Facing the challenge

By: Concern about seeking out and approaching a spiritual director? – Part II – Getting the first meeting set up - Catholic Spiritual Direction

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:11:58 +0000

[...] our first post in this two part series we talked about the challenges and perspectives that can stifle our [...]

By: danburke

danburke — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:12:53 +0000

Dear Angela in Christ. I am overjoyed to hear of your success in finding a spiritual director. Based on his first book recommendation, I suspect you will find it a very fruitful relationship. Be assured you are in my prayers.

Venite Adoremus!

By: Angela

Angela — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 13:18:28 +0000

Thanks Dan! I was one of the people in the poll who felt they needed a spiritual director but now I have found one! The direction I received on this site is one of the reasons I was motivated to make this new arrangement. I feel God is working something in me and I want to cooperate. I was very worried about taking Father's time but also we also enjoy having intellectual and personal conversations with each other and I don't want the spiritual direction relationship to taint that. But we both think that it will work out fine. I concluded that I'd just have to be humble. If I am ok with seeing him for confession, why not spiritual direction.

The first book this priest recommends for his directees is Spiritual Direction by Fr Dubay.

Thanks for your continued insights!

By: danburke

danburke — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:14:24 +0000

Marcy – good catch on Keating – we also have a section on these same concerns here http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/topics/psu…

By: Marcy K.

Marcy K. — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:10:22 +0000

I would be very careful about Keating's "Open Mind, Open Heart". Centering Prayer is a New Age phenomenon and while many are fond of this, it is not compatible with true Christian prayer. Please read: "The Danger of Centering Prayer" at Catholic Answers http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9711fea1.asp and also "A Closer Look at Centering Prayer" http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/.... Patrick Madrid just talked about this on his blog as well. http://patrickmadrid.blogspot.com/2009/12/82-ye...

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:50:27 +0000

Dan:
Since I have found this site Sept/Oct 2009, your writings and topics have been Providential. Thanks be to God. If you recall, my spiritual director and I took a 4 month break as he moved to a new parish. In your posting today where you write…”are you ready to suffer whatever discomfort you may feel…”, this has been so true and for how upsetting some of the direction is, it has still been a blessing. This thought I then shared with my primary confessor…be careful for what you prayer for…I prayed to begin and to find a spiritual director and WOW after beginning it has been at times a very vulnerable experience. It has also been very helpful to use the recommended book resources. I had read Open Heart…Open by Keating, then read Deep Prayer/Deep by Fr. T. Dubay, then read Spritual Progress by Fr. Tom Williams and then ordered the Better Part which has helped with prayer & meditations. Thank you Fr. John!! It seems too that lately the posting from Better Part are just what the Holy Spirit is wanting me to read next which is very comforting since my director is “very charismatic and on fire by the Holy Spirit”. I know I am very blessed with my director and he is very patient with my slow progress but as I told him, my director can rip up the soil of my soul and leave me a mess that after a few days I can see that it is what I needed in order to move on. Anyway, thanks for all your work, and efforts in helping all of us.

By: danburke

danburke — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:47:59 +0000

I couldn't agree more. Father Dubay's books and lectures are excellent resources for prayer and the spiritual life.

By: Marcy K.

Marcy K. — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:05:23 +0000

I have found that Fr. Thomas Dubay's “Seeking Spiritual Direction” is a good book about this topic, not just what to look for in a SD, but it also has many very deep spiritual topics that you can meditate on while you are looking for a SD. Fr Dubay's “Prayer Primer” and “Fire Within” are very helpful. Also, if you go to EWTN's audio library there is an excellent 13 part series on Contemplation that you can listen to on your computer or download it to use it with your iPod/mp3 player, if you are interested in learning about deep prayer.

By: danburke

danburke — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:43:05 +0000

Dear Mary in Christ,

Pursue the one you are most comfortable with. Don't delay.

Pax Christi,

Dan

By: Mary

Mary — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:30:35 +0000

Fr. Dan, I have been following your very helpful and inspiring articles on Spiritual Direction because at my stage in the journey of Faith, I feel I need a Director badly. In our Archdiocese, Priests get transferred frequently and no sooner have you established a good rapport with one, he gets transferred to a far off Parish. However, there is one young Priest who came to see me in Hospital 2 years ago when I had suffered a serious nervous breakdown and I have kept in touch with him even after his transfer. Though he is young, (I am a widow of 71 years) I feel comfortable talking to him because he was there for me during that very traumatic period, when I needed a sympathetic, and understanding Priest. I kept regular contact with and I call upon him especially when I need spiritutal help in prayers for various family and persona needs to celebrate the Holy Mass for the issue at hand. I am now considering requesting him to become my Spiritual Director and see how we can work out how to proceed because he is no longer in my Parish. Do you think this is a good idea or should I look for someone else within our Parish? All the Priests we have now are all new and I am not close to any of them