Feeding the Spiritually Hungry Around the World – Webinar Update

February 11, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Classes

Dear Friends,

For those who have been with us for a while, you know that we have readers from more than 190 countries around the world. Here’s a recent snapshot of our visitors – all the little red dots…

It has been our great privilege and honor to serve all of you and in a special way through our recent webinars on the topic of Navigating the Interior Life. Today we had webinar attendees from all over the U.S. and Canada, United Kingdom, Tanzania, India, Rwanda, Australia, Finland, Philippines, Netherlands, and China (forgive me if I missed your country).

It has truly been an invigorating experience. The most delightful aspect has been the Question and Answer time at the end of each session. Today, we had more than 60 participants continue with the Q & A for more than an hour. Essentially these times have become a kind of group spiritual direction session.

If you have been among the attendees in any of our sessions, please provide your feedback at the end of this post so that we can continue to improve our service to you.

What was most helpful to you?
Do you feel better equipped to deepen your relationship with God and if so, how?

We consider it a profound privileged to serve the King of Kings and those who love Him.

PS: Thus far, the feedback has been 100% positive. It is our prayer that we will continue to be able to provide this important blessing to the people of God. If you can support us in doing so, we would be grateful. Monthly gifts of any size are particularly helpful. If you can’t help financially, please consider offering a decade of the Rosary on our behalf for provision of funds necessary to expand this important work. Our long term goal is to start a school of the interior life that provides both local and internet based formation.

About Dan Burke

Dan is the founder of Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and author of the award winning book, Navigating the Interior Life - Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. Beyond his “contagious” love for Jesus and His Church, he is a grateful husband and father of four, the Executive Director of and writer for EWTN’s National Catholic Register, a regular co-host on Register Radio, a writer and speaker who provides online spiritual formation and travels to share his conversion story and the great riches that the Church provides us through authentic Catholic spirituality. Dan has been featured on EWTN’s Journey Home program and numerous radio programs. If you have an interest in having Dan come speak at your parish or Catholic event or group, contact us at rcspiritualdirection@gmail.com or call 818-646-7729.

please consider supporting our mission with a donation!

Tags: Navigating, Webinar, Webinar on Prayer

Dorothy Boroden

This is my first time attending a webinar and I was very satisfied with it. I especially liked seeing the “ladder” diagram regarding avoiding a false spirituality. We do need balance!

Due to the outline I could read on the screen it was easier for me to take notes.

Very inspiring! Thank you so much Dan. And I thank the Holy Spirit!

Dorothy
Jeanette

Hi Dan: Your teaching and the Q & A is very helpful to us as it helps us feel ‘normal’ regarding our walk with God because of your kind way of answering and encompassing all of us together in our own unique search to become more one with God. Thank you for all you do to help us by these Webinars. I hope they will continue as I’m sure they are a spiritual lifeline for many!
Anonymous

I loved the images with the ladders that show the need for growth both in prayer and virtue. I will remember that rickety ladder and the troubles it represents.
Charlene29

I like the Q&A – other people asking my questions is encouraging; and the references to effective resources, from a reliable source, is useful
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1300612377 Barbara Moeller

I listened on the phone, so I couldn’t see any visuals, but it didn’t hinder me. I thought it was very worthwhile, and am really looking forward to next week. I was discussing prayer with some Episcopalian friends of mine, and although they have been great pray-ers, they are not very familiar with the link between advance in prayer and an increase in virtue, as two interdependent processes. Interestingly, in that group the scheduled topic for study was prayer itself, and the scripted lesson said nothing about meditation or contemplation, it was all the vocative forms that are typical of a worship service. The lesson was rescheduled for April for other reasons, so I suggested that there was time to “tune up” the lesson and I look forward to helping with that. Thank you for your service, and God bless.
Karen

Hi Mr Burke~
That was a very informative and interesting presentation. I have never experienced a webinar, and found it very engaging with the combination of audio, visual and chat. I am looking forward to next Saturday’s discussion on the Illuminative and Unitive stages. I also appreciate how punctual you were both for the start and the end of the webinar. God bless you.
Karen, NJ
Joan Junginger

I liked the pace and the way the information was presented. I think that the examples were good but that maybe more examples from our personal lives and how to identify our areas of sin and how the Holy Spirit speaks to us to make us aware of the need for change. I also think that each session could be spent completely on one of “the ways”, i.e., the next session being fully about how we get to the illuminative way and more examples of how to identify the work that the Lord wants to do in us; and then the next session would have a similar format for the unitive way. I really do appreciate all the time, prayer, and effort that you put into this presentation, Dan. Thank you.
John Paul

I loved my first ever webinar and learned much from it. The next one will likely be rather illuminative (pun intended). In fact the Q&A was extremely helpful from the great questions to the great answers! The Holy Spirit is certainly using Dan Burke as an instrument of grace to help many others after his wonderful conversion story unfolded.
K McDonald

Thank you so much, Dan.. I have already shared the ladder concept to a friend tonight in London, realising the importance of growth in both in tandem. Visuals are v helpful. Think it is very helpful in a spiritual journey to learn where one is at, and how to recognise the obstacles/stumbling blocks to move upwards.. Would be good to know how much funding you need to open up the Webinar to more listeners… this is a fantastic apostolate. God bless you from London, Karen
- Anonymous
  
  Hey Karen – glad to have you on. I believe you graciously gave up your seat last time. It would cost us an additional $300 per month to allow up to 500 participants which is significant. However, the key challenge we face at the moment is team capacity. We need to hire someone either part or full time to help out… prayers greatly appreciated. It’s all good and our Lord will provide for whatever he desires us to accomplish!
  - K McDonald
    
    Let’s see what we can do to raise some money towards this – with all the references you made today to more Webinars for this question and that question, would be great to find these funds to help us on our journey. A little funding from many, usually succeeds… Thank you again
    - Anonymous
      
      I love your enthusiasm – prayers prayers and more prayers. What you say is true – a little from many on a monthly basis has already accomplished a great deal. We are grateful and would really like to give more to more… He is good.
Maria

Thank you so very much for the Webinar. It was my first time and I really learned a lot! Learning about the stages and the importance of balancing prayer and virtue really helped. Its good to know what I should focus on and improve on. Am also grateful for some of the questions in the Q and A that others asked. Truly the Holy Spirit was guiding us last night.

Thank you! God Bless! Sorry that I can’t donate, not earning yet. But I will pray for you and this cause.
Rowena

This is the first time I joined a webinar and it is truly great and I learned so much. Although it is a bit of an effort on my part as it is 3:30am here in Sydney, I stayed until the end of the q&a because all the good questions and good answers helped me a lot as well in understanding more about my spiritual life. After the webinar I went back to sleep with a smile and fully satisfied. I am looking forward to the continuation about Illuminative and unitive stages of spiritual growth. May God bless you Dan and your family and all your works for the glory of our God. – Rowena
Alex Campbell Phd

This webinar, I attended the first set of two, felt like a life line being thrown out from people, Dan and his team, and the Lord, to me in my rather lonely isolated quest for spiritual growth. It was such a joy to be interacting with like-minded seekers and to feel part of a real, even if virtual, community. I also, especially benefited from the visual aids, especially the ladder showing that advancement in prayer must be linked with simultaneous progress in virtue. Thank you so much and I hope I can be part of another one. When funds allow, I do plan to give!
Anonymous

Dear Friend – This is referring to content I provided in a webinar yesterday. I have yet to put anything about this in writing that is available.
Rhonda

Reading about these topics can be very difficult to wade through. You made it much simpler and clearer to understand and gave very concrete, practical, doable advice. The book suggestions were also very helpful. Finally, you made each person (me included) feel welcome and our questions valued.
Linda

Thank you for offering this nourishing spiritual repast. I feel refreshed and re-focused in my search for God. It was most helpful to know how many others share my longings and obstacles. I have felt somewhat isolated as a convert in a tiny rural Southern town. Now I know that feeling is self-generated by the whispers of the enemy. I am so ready to step out and into the kingdom. God bless you for your ministry.
Mary

This was also my first time to attend the webinar. The visuals are so helpful in simplifying the sublime subject matter. The question and answer period were extremely helpful since they inform and teach God’s wisdom from real life parables. My spirit is “giddy” over the blessing of this ministry and its future for the Glory of God to aid His people. May our Lord and Lady seal all the graces we have received, and may they cover you and your family with all protective graces to continue this great work.
Ana Kattan

Dear friends, I didn’t attend the webinar, could you write something about it so I can learn from it. best regards from Honduras!
God and our Holy Mother, Mary, blessed you!
Pirpa

This is my first Webinar and I was truly blessed with all the teachings you gave. I believe I am in the very early stages of pre-purgative ways. With the help of the Lord and His Holy Mother, I know I will continue to grow. I see that we all have distractions during prayer. I usually pray for whatever is distracting me at that moment. Please keep inviting us to this kind of Webinars; they are truly very useful, and help us in our daily prayers.
May the Lord bless you and the Virgin Mary smile upon you.
Mary

Thank you for all your work to put the webinar together. It was a great way to get the word out in a personal way to many people all over. Great job! One comparison you used during it caused me some concern. It was when you compared a sinner’s relationship with God to that of a married couple. I think we need to be very cautious comparing human ways to divine ways. God loves everyone infinitely and listens for all who cry out for his help.
Anonymous

What was most helpful to you? The graphics were very helpful and I really enjoyed the Q&A afterwards.
Do you feel better equipped to deepen your relationship with God and if so, how? Yes, the map of the progression of the interior life helped me to gauge where I am and what I need to do to go forward. Thank you very much for all the hard work you put into preparing and presenting the webinar.
Nancy Davis

How can I be part of the next webinar?
- Anonymous
  
  Subscribe to the posts… We will provide a post each time.
Mary Beth

This is my first webinar experience; to hear and see diagrams about the three ways to grow in our faith helps me; I like hearing books you recommended. To make the proper choice and time to read and develop spiritually in my prayer life has been difficult for me. I look forward to the next steps Illummative and Unative. Thank you Dan for your inspiration, encouragement and blessed opportunities. Your Q&As helped too.
MBeth
Theresa

It was an exciting feeling to hear live on the screen. It was much to hear and noted and I feel it is a helpful way to get some thing deep inside me. I am glad to be able to follow this webinar
Anonymous

Mary, Nairobi time is 9 hours later than central time in the US. So, next Sat the webinar will be at 7:30 pm your time I think
Leslie Marsh

The webinar helped me to examine my conscience and take a deeper look into my spiritual life, seeing what may be getting in the way of Jesus filling me fully and seeing what hinders me from serving Him with total abandonment. Thank you for reaching out to us and I look forward to the next webinar.
Mary W

I was registered and I’m so sorry I missed it! (Had to take daughter to the doctor with conjunctivitis AND a minor concussion!)
It would be wonderful if there were some way to record these webinars and archive them for people to access at a later date. The folks at Home School Connections ( http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/webinar-catalog/past-webinars/ ) might be one place to get some ideas about how to do that. They host frequent webinars with limited seating and then anyone can access them later for free. (Perhaps they finance this by charging fees for the courses they offer to students.)
Anonymous

Thank you all for your encouraging feedback and insight both here and via email. It was an absolute delight to meet and engage with you all!
Anonymous

Dear Friend: Thank you. However, I don’t think I would be listening to me if I were in Palma de Mallorca! Safe travels
judeen

the spiritually hungry… we all are in a way.. longing to grow closer to God… in scripture, it talks all about the gifts from God.. and how it affects our lives, weather, disasters, blessings of rain, so on… this is Gods way.. if we start to live Gods way.. so the blessings will come.. also we need to pray for healing of our ancestors.. this too brings on hardships… when we ignore our ancestors sins…
that is why sharing God in so much more important than food or water… armys or gov… for if we follow God and do His will all these will be taken care of.. by God Himself.. it is a promise…
Maria Teresa Rizzetto

TKC! Dear Dan,

Thank you so much for the talk you gave us last week. I live in London and now i am spending a few days in Spain and will be joining today from Palma de Mallorca (Spain) for part 2.

May God bless you,

Maria Teresa Rizzetto
Debbie

Dan,

This was our second week to listen in on your webinar. Last week we were skiing in Colorado, but made time to listen in, and we were so glad that we did. This week we listened from our home in Amarillo, Texas.
We are really enjoying these and hope that you will be able to continue them in the future.
May God continue to bless all that you do.

Victor and Debbie
Jeanette

Re: Feb. 18th Webinar. I enjoyed the Webinar today. Thank you very much. I’m interested in a more indepth study of the Illuminative and Unitive Phases. You mentioned that a Webinar in the future would address this. Any idea when?
Karen

Hi Dan, This second webinar was delightful– thank you so much. The Illuminative and especially the Unitive Stages are so infrequently taught on. Everything discussed was informative and helpful. I wonder if you would ever consider a webinar on humility? (Another rare topic!) God bless you. I will be mailing in a donation to help support you in this wonderful work.
Debbie

What a privilege to be part of this webinar. I have learned that God always provides what we need, especially in efforts to get closer to Him. i was struggling with an issue, the answer to the question I had put before the Lord, was given in the seminar. It was not even a major point, most likely it was an unplanned comment, as it came in response to a question. This is exactly what I needed to hear. I appreciate the solid learning and the directions to other resources.
Anonymous

TOB Rocks!!
Diane

This webinar was so informative. I now feel I better understand the process of deepening my spirituality. The webinar gave me hope allowing me not to be as hard on myself for those times when I slip and fall. I feel better able to be able to get up, humbly ask for forgiveness for my fall, and courage to continue my journey of faith. Also thanks for all of the wonderful references you gave. I cannot wait to purchase these recommended books. I look forward to the publishing of your book.
Pat Hanley

This webinar is more than satisfying my direction needs. I identify fully with your structured approach. I have been deep with St John of The Cross and St Teresa of Avila recently so this is a God send. You made traversing into illumination look simple.
- Anonymous
  
  Thank you – if only it were simple…
AnnieB

I found this a most stimulating discussion and I want more please! It has opened up a whole new way of thinking and structure. Since the first webinar some weeks back, my journey has had new focus and meaning. My understanding of some my challenges means I can develop and have developed.

I have shared some of the thoughts with other parishioners too and it is enriching us all.

Please do continue this essential ministry for those of us battling with the day to day challenges of the secular world whilst trying always to focus on God. It is so hard and isolated at times and you are helping us scattered sheep in ways you cannot imagine.
Judy

I am new to this website and just started receiving the daily emails a couple of weeks ago. This is my second time joining in on the webinar. Last week I was able to give my full attention. I absolutely loved it! I took a lot of notes and found it very helpful. The question and answer session was informative. This week I was not able to give the webinar my full attention. From what I was able to listen to, it was helpful to me. I am looking forward to getting some of the books mentioned. I wish that there was a way that you could log on to hear any of the previous recorded webinars. I look forward to spending more time exploring the website during the lenten season.
Anonymous

Thank you Joy!
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