Spiritual Direction is NOT a One-Time Emergency Room Event   Under normal circumstances, spiritual direction should not be akin to an emergency room visit. Spiritual direction is better likened to a wellness program or a long-term exercise and diet commitment that will result in maximum health. Even though there are plenty of appropriate emergency calls … Read more

Spiritual Direction is NOT a Just Me and Jesus Effort   Those that struggle with self-disclosure or a lack of understanding of the definition and benefits of spiritual direction sometimes end up in this comfortable but dangerous trap.  As we will discuss later, God has chosen to use human instruments to shape, mold, and bring us … Read more

The tendency toward self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-centeredness in our culture is perhaps one of the most damaging to souls. Unfortunately and inevitably, these diseases tend to bleed into the spiritual life. What we do need is to break the pattern of a false boot-strap spirituality that often results in self-delusion and spiritual atrophy. As St. … Read more

Spiritual Direction is NOT Confession Spiritual direction is not synonymous with confession. The challenge with distinguishing spiritual direction from confession usually comes when the modern inquirer reads the saints who talk about their spiritual director or confessor as if they are one and the same thing. The reason for this is that there was a … Read more