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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1389 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat May 26th, 2007 01:08 am |
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| I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this in, but I'm interested in looking for a spiritual advisor. Would you give me a little info about how to find an appropriate advisor? Does it need to be someone ordained, how do they go about this? It seems like confession is not the right place to have a lengthy conversation because there are always people waiting behind me. I also hesitate to call the church office because they seem so busy. But I would like someone I could ask personal questions and get advice from.
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5350 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sat May 26th, 2007 02:22 am |
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Credo Catholic wrote: Would you give me a little info about how to find an appropriate [spiritual] advisor?
Start with a priest you trust. Ask for advice. As an alternative, ask a nun or religious brother you trust. Call a monastery or convent known for its spirituality such as Franciscan, Benedictine, or Dominican, and ask for their assistance. You can also turn to a retreat house in your area; the director will be someone the diocese has chosen for spiritual direction. If you are not comfortable with the first person you ask, go elsewhere. You must feel comfortable discussing absolutely anything with your spiritual adviser. Sometimes women are more comfortable with a woman and a man with a man, but not necessarily. Keep looking until you find the right person.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
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| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat May 26th, 2007 01:38 pm |
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Thanks Rick. I will make some calls this week. Right now, I'm trying to pare down my conversion story so I can post it!
Are spiritual advisors bound to privacy the way priests are in confession?
Last edited on Sat May 26th, 2007 02:08 pm by Credo Catholic
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
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| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sat May 26th, 2007 05:42 pm |
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Are spiritual advisors bound to privacy the way priests are in confession?
They are not bound to it by canon law as a priest is, but morally they still have an obligation to keep confidences. If you want the greatest possible security, your confessor could in some cases also act as your spiritual director. Not all priests are equipped to do this, and most do not have the time, but you may find a good one if you look hard enough.
David
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Connie
User on Probation
| Joined: | Fri Jun 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 87 |
| First Name: | Connie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic Convert from Presbyterian, then Episcopalian |
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Posted: Fri Jun 1st, 2007 08:07 pm |
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I's also like to find a Spiritual Advisor. But it's so very funny. I asked our Priest if he could recommend someone. He said he knows of no one.
As Marcus Grodi said on "The Journey Home", we have a wealth of spiritual advisors at our fingertips in all the good books written by the Fathers of the Church. Also by so many other marvelous people, like all the good books written by Fr. Groeschel. You can find all his books at http://www.ewtn.com
The one I'm reading now is the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
God Bless~
Connie~
____________________
~Connie~
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1389 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Jun 1st, 2007 08:48 pm |
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| I would like to talk with someone about some specific things that have happened in my life and how I can put them to rest in my own mind, or if there is any need to take action concerning one of them, but it's not really something for the confessional, it's more how to put some things in perspective, and how to cope with a couple of people in my family so that I can possibly do them some good but grow in my own spiritual life too. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone, I'm not sure if it makes sense to me! It would take a lot of the priest's time during confessional anyway. It has to do with my son and a lot of problems he has and how I try to deal with it. And other things too.
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Fri Jun 1st, 2007 10:36 pm |
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Connie: Fr. Groeschel is an excellent help. Another is Fr. Thomas Dubay, who has written a book entitled Seeking Spiritual Direction. It is a basic guide on how to find and profit from a spiritual director, and what to do with your life while you’re looking for such a director.
Credo Catholic: Rather than a spiritual director, it sounds like what you want is a best friend. I also find that assiduous prayer helps in the situations you describe.
David
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Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1389 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Jun 2nd, 2007 12:10 am |
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David: I hadn't thought of it that way. Do you really think anyone would want to sit and listen to all my trials and tribulations? It would take a very special friend! Good point.
Connie: I have a book by Fr. Groeschel about praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament which I found very helpful in my prayer life. And also one by Fr. Dubay which we used in RCIA. I would recommend both of them.
After thinking about it a little, I have talked to friends about these issues and they are understanding and commiserate(?) and everything, but no one I know well is Catholic! They don't understand the spiritual filter I now put everything through. Even though my protestant friends are spiritual and wonderful Christians, they don't look at things quite the way I do now, but it would be a good way to evangelize anyway.
Last edited on Sat Jun 2nd, 2007 12:37 am by Credo Catholic
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Sat Jun 2nd, 2007 01:50 am |
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Credo Catholic wrote:I hadn't thought of it that way. Do you really think anyone would want to sit and listen to all my trials and tribulations?… After thinking about it a little, I have talked to friends about these issues and they are understanding and commiserate and everything, but no one I know well is Catholic!
Perhaps you need to become more active in your parish. Also, a quick look around the forum should suggest several kind and prudent souls who would gladly lend an ear. Others do it. You can find a way.
David
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