Spiritual Direction

"When friends meet to talk about their relationship with God, God listens."

Sr. Virginia Varley CSJ

What it is

Spiritual direction is a ministry anchored in the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Practiced within the Church for centuries, it has been variously described as 'spiritual guidance', or as 'spiritual companioning', or as 'having a soul friend.' It came to the forefront again after Vatican II when religious congregations studied their early history and discovered that spiritual direction ministry was integral to their beginnings. Today, persons prepare for this ministry by attending special training programs now available internationally.

How it works

Two people meet on a regular basis, providing an opportunity for one person to talk with another person of faith about the God-quest and the journey that quest implies. The conversation always includes both the experiences of prayer and of life. The content for both of these is the same, i.e., where and how they experience the presence or seeming absence of God.

The "director" or "companion" listens and encourages the other person to explore that journey in faith. The individual at the end of such a meeting will say such things as:

• "I didn't realize that so much happened in that prayer time,"
• "That life event was so painful I have never thought that God could be in it for me,"
• "Coming to see that God is for me is a whole new insight,"
• "It is wonderful having someone listen to me in such a way that I come to my own truth."'

Role of the director

A director listens in such a way that the person who brings some personal experiences comes to their own "answers," to a deeper awareness and sense of direction. The spiritual director believes that it is God who is guiding the individual. Through conversation around desires and experiences, God's invitations will come to the surface. So the director is not a counselor but a companion in the exploration of God's way of being involved in someone's life.

Why people seek spiritual direction

People seek spiritual direction for many reasons:

• it may be a "problem" they want to be able to pray over,
• a vague desire for a personal relationship with God,
• the felt need to sort out inner conflicts in order to move forward,
• or the recognition that they are on a faith journey and they don't understand it.

How people find spiritual directors

A person seeking spiritual direction may ask their pastor for a suggestion, or they may get in touch with a theological college and ask about spiritual direction, or they may visit websites such as this one and see names of persons who may be able to help.

Sisters of St. Joseph who are spiritual directors

The following Sisters of St. Joseph are part of this ministry: Sisters Jo Conlin, Ann Delaney, Marie MacNamara, Grace Sauvé and Virginia Varley.

Sisters presently available for Spiritual Direction include:

Sister Ann Delaney: adelaney@csj-to.ca
Sister Grace Sauvé: gsauve@csj-to.ca
Sister Virginia Varley: vvarley@csj-to.ca
Sr. Mary Mettler: mmettler@csj-to.ca