Finding A Spiritual Director

[Daughter_Fatima]

I haven't been on here in years, but I have finally started visiting convents! I talked to a sister at the Dominicans of Summit, NJ and visited the Parish Visitors in Monroe, NY. I find that talking to Vocation Directors can be very confusing though. They are great women of God, and have not been at all pushy which is great, especially since I have no idea where I am going right now. But I think having a spiritual director would help immensely in sorting out what I should do as I discern. Does anyone have suggestions of how I could find a good spiritual director?

I have talked to the assistant priest at our parish, but he is not comfortable. I'm not comfortable approaching my pastor, as he is rather distant. :/

[TeresaBenedicta]

This blog has some pretty good suggestions: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/topics/spiritual-direction/finding-a-director

[LaPetiteSoeur]

I would check with your local diocese's vocations office. The vocations director for your diocese should have a list of priests and/or sisters who can be spiritual directors.

Dieu vous benisse et bonne chance!

[Hinter dem Horizont]

Check diocese websites for contact information. As well, people in pastoral care usually can help in discernment as well. My spiritual director works in the pastoral care department of a local hospital.

[Daughter_Fatima]

Thanks everyone! I'll look into those places.

[AllForYourGlory]

I would also suggest offering up prayers that if God wants you to find a spiritual director, that he will place one before you. When i started discerning, i was under the direction of the vocation director of our dioceses, but due to his hefty obligation and the massive amount of sems that were under him, it wasn't quite working out. But a few months later, God sent me a wonderful priest. So pray, God will take care of you! But a good reminder, is that patience can be hard, God's timing is perfect, ours is not!

[RomanCatholic]

I had been looking for a Spiritual Director for over 8 years. Everyone I talked to was either scared of the idea, or didn't have the time. Thanks be to God that about a month or two ago, God put one right in my path, and I have been so blessed. I would travel around to different Parishes, and eventually you will be led to someone that you connect with.

God Bless You!

[Chiquitunga]

I meant to reply here before, but never got around to it. Now that I have a chance at the computer during the day, I think I shall. Okay, another thing to consider might be talking with a religious priest .. or also, if there are any priests/chaplains at any of the convents/monasteries you visit, you might talk to them even to get suggestions .. this is how I found the priest helping me. He is a religious priest and the chaplain at a monastery. Also, you might consider going somewhere on retreat where there are good priests who can offer direction.

There are the Franciscans of the Immaculate in Maine, NY - [url="http://www.mtstfrancis.com/"]http://www.mtstfrancis.com/[/url] and you can go on retreat there. I met Fr. Johannes, FI who is there once, and he seemed very knowledgeable about different communities and discernment.

There are also the OMV priests in Boston - [url="http://www.omvusa.org/"]http://www.omvusa.org/[/url] (and throughout the country) who are very good and dedicated to spiritual direction. And I know at least couple of them have sisters in Carmel. One of my friends from Boston has one as a director. They are very Ignatian in spirituality and have a retreat house here, [url="http://www.omvhouse.org/"]http://www.omvhouse.org/[/url] though they also offer them at their parishes in Boston .. and Fr. Brown, OMV offers 8 - 30 day Ignatian retreats for women in Ann Arbor, MI .. more information [url="http://www.omvusa.org/2010/10/23/03-10-2010-lorem-ipsum-dolor-sit-amet/#more-21"]here[/url]. I believe he is one who has a sister in Carmel By the way, Ignatian retreats are [i]very good[/i] for discerning a vocation!

Then there are the Miles Christi priests who offer Ignatian retreats too and are dedicated to spiritual direction, especially for college students it says on their site - [url="http://www.mileschristi.org/"]http://www.mileschristi.org/[/url] I have been on a couple of their retreats and they are good, although short .. the one over [url="http://www.mileschristi.org/en/activities/area.php?id=1&location=1"]Holy Week[/url] is the best as it's five days. And I know they have directed a number of young women to Carmel. By the way, I heard about the 8 - 30 day retreats Fr. Brown, OMV gives in Ann Arbor from a Miles Christi priest who recommended them. They, Miles Christi, do not offer retreats for that length of time though it sounded like they may the future. He said "not yet"

But I agree especially with what someone else said here about offering up prayers that if God wants you to find one at this time, He will place one before you. [url="http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2009/11/sister-mary-of-holy-trinity-poor-clare.html"]Sr. Mary of the Holy Trinity[/url] didn't receive one until a while into her discernment, which was very long. And I think I remember reading in her diary that Our Lord said it wasn't His will yet that she have a director. If I can find it, I shall post it. I recommend her [url="https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/Spiritual-Legacy-of-Sr-Mary-of-Holy-Trinity"]diary[/url] (and [url="https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/280/keywords/mary+holy+trinity/"]biography[/url]) by the way. It is beautiful! God bless!

Edited November 25, 2010 by Chiquitunga

[littlellama17]

I met my spiritual director when I was in the confessional!!!!!! I felt such a "click" with him and felt like I could tell him anything/everything. He gave such sound advice! I had heard great things about him from my family who attend the church he is stationed at. I made the call, met with him, and couldn't be happier. I even got to go on a pilgrimage overseas with him! He's never put me in the wrong direction and he's so down to earth and funny. But most of all.....he's the holiest priest I've ever met. Another St. John Bosco! He'll be a saint one day!!!! Good luck!!!!!!

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1290716135' post='2189278']There are also the OMV priests in Boston - [url="http://www.omvusa.org/"]http://www.omvusa.org/[/url] (and throughout the country) who are very good and dedicated to spiritual direction. And I know at least couple of them have sisters in Carmel. One of my friends from Boston has one as a director. They are very Ignatian in spirituality and have a retreat house here, [url="http://www.omvhouse.org/"]http://www.omvhouse.org/[/url] though they also offer them at their parishes in Boston .. and Fr. Brown, OMV offers 8 - 30 day Ignatian retreats for women in Ann Arbor, MI .. more information [url="http://www.omvusa.org/2010/11/27/03-10-2010-lorem-ipsum-dolor-sit-amet/#more-21"]here[/url] [color="#4169e1"][b][corrected link][/b][/color] I believe he is one who has a sister in Carmel By the way, Ignatian retreats are [i]very good[/i] for discerning a vocation![/quote]

The retreat house in Ann Arbor where Fr. Dennis Brown offers the 30 day Exercises, [url="http://www.eucharisticlife.org/retreat_offerings.html"]http://www.eucharist..._offerings.html[/url] I promised vee before she left I would tell her where they were, so I thought I'd post before I forget ..

[quote]
I meant to reply here before, but never got around to it. Now that I have a chance at the computer during the day, I think I shall.
[/quote]
Hardly ever get a chance on this thing at normal times .. better get to sleep, lol ..

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1290932599' post='2189642']
The retreat house in Ann Arbor where Fr. Dennis Brown offers the 30 day Exercises, [url="http://www.eucharisticlife.org/retreat_offerings.html"]http://www.eucharist..._offerings.html[/url] I promised vee before she left I would tell her where they were, so I thought I'd post before I forget ..[/quote]

Just realized this place is a couple minutes up the road from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist! Neat! I bet they often go there for retreats

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1290932599' post='2189642']
The retreat house in Ann Arbor where Fr. Dennis Brown offers the 30 day Exercises, [url="http://www.eucharisticlife.org/retreat_offerings.html"]http://www.eucharist..._offerings.html[/url] I promised vee before she left I would tell her where they were, so I thought I'd post before I forget ..
[/quote]

Ok ... begging forgiveness here for posting on an old thread heh.

Just came back from retreat at that retreat house in Ann Arbor with Fr. Dennis Brown. I *highly* recommend it. They have a number of 8 day retreat periods scheduled, and some that haven't been defined yet as women/men (so first one to sign up sets if it is for women or men).

[url="http://www.eucharisticlife.org/retreat_residence.html"]http://www.eucharisticlife.org/retreat_residence.html[/url]

If anyone has questions pm me.