Spiritual DirectionSelect Questions Concerning

the Directing of SoulsCJC Sanctity Series

Navigating the Spiritual Life

Fr. Michael Champagne, CJC

Select Questions

• What is Spiritual Direction?• Is Spiritual Direction necessary?• Why does one need Spiritual Direction?• Is Spiritual Direction spoken of in the Bible?• What do the Saints say about Spiritual Direction?• What does the Church say about Spiritual

Direction?• What are the differences between Counseling and

Spiritual Direction?

• Is there a difference between the Office of Confessor and the Office of Spiritual Director?

• What are the technical qualities of a good Spiritual Director?

• What are the moral qualities of a good Director?

• What are some of the duties of the Spiritual Director?

• What are the qualities to be expected in the one directed?

• What are some classes of directees where good spiritual direction is crucial?

• How does one choose a Spiritual Director?• When is it advisable/permissible to change

directors?• Can one consult a number of spiritual

directors?• Can I do spiritual direction in cyberspace?• What are some solid resources on Spiritual

Direction?

• What is Spiritual Direction?– Definition: “the art of leading souls

progressively from the beginning of the spiritual life to the height of Christian perfection” (Royo, 593).• it is an art – a practical science• it is progressive – according to the

strength and disposition of the soul directed

• it is oriented toward the perfection of the Christian life

• Is Spiritual Direction necessary?– Not absolutely necessary, morally

necessary» Not needed if one is not

serious about living the spiritual life – waste of director’s time»most saints had a director or

someone who gave them spiritual counsel

Why does one need it?• Necessity of a “third” person– To be an observer– For objectivity– “Dose of reality”– God uses mediator

• More knowledge and experience in a guide– To diagnose where you are– To lead you to the “next step”– Part of Prudence to seek counsel

• Merit of humility and obedience– Protection from the pitfalls of self and the devil

Is it in the Bible?• Eccl. 4:10 “If the one falls, the other will help the

fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help.”

• Tobit 4:18 “Seek counsel from every wise man, and do not think lightly of any advice that can be useful.”

• Sirach 32:18-19 “The thoughtful man will not neglect direction…Do nothing without counsel, and then you need have no regrets.”

• 2 Cor. 5:20 “So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.”

What do the Saints say about Spiritual Direction?• “To believe that one does not need

counsel is a great pride” St. Basil• “Do not be your own master and do not

set out upon a way that is entirely new for you without a guide; otherwise you will soon go astray” (St. Jerome)

• “As a blind man cannot follow the good road without a leader, no one can walk without a guide” (St. Augustine)

– “He who constitutes himself his own director, becomes the disciple of a fool” (St. Bernard)

– “Our Lord, without whom we can do nothing, will never grant His grace to one who, having at his disposition a man capable of instructing and directing him, neglects this powerful means of sanctification, believing that he is sufficient to himself and that he can by his own powers seek and find the things useful to salvation” (St. Vincent Ferrer)

– John of the Cross, Living Flame of Love, Cant. 3, n. 56

• Teresa of Avila, Book of Life, c. 4 “I had no master—I mean, no confessor—who understood me, though I sought for such a one for twenty years afterwards: which did me much harm, in that I frequently went backwards, and might have been even utterly lost; for, anyhow, a director would have helped me to escape the risks I ran of sinning against God.”

• Francis de Sales, Introduction to a Devout Life, Bk. I, c. 4 “A faithful friend,” we are told in Holy Scripture, “is a strong defense, and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure;” and again: “A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.” These sacred words have chiefly reference, as you see, to the immortal life, with a view to which we specially need a faithful friend, who will guide us by his counsel and advice, thereby guarding us against the deceits and snares of the Evil One:—he will be as a storehouse of wisdom to us in our sorrows, trials and falls; he will be as a healing balm to stay and soothe our heart in the time of spiritual sickness,—he will shield us from evil, and confirm that which is good in us, and when we fall through infirmity, he will avert the deadly nature of the evil, and raise us up again.”

What about the Magisterium?

“It is part of the ordinary law that as God in His Providence has ordained that men for the most part should be saved by men, so He has appointed that those whom He calls to a higher degree of holiness should be guided thereto by men” (Pope Leo XIII, Testem benevolentiae, Jan. 22, 1899)

“Moreover, it should be added that those who strive to sanctify themselves, by the very fact that they strive to follow a way that is little frequented, are more exposed to deceive themselves and therefore they, more than others, need a doctor and guide. And this method of procedure has always been seen in the Church. This doctrine was unanimously taught by all those who, in the course of centuries, flourished in wisdom and sanctity. And those who reject it shall not do so without temerity and danger” (Pope Leo XIII, Testem benevolentiae, Jan. 22, 1899)

Is Spiritual Direction addressed in Recent Magisterial Documents?

• Optatam Totius (1965) par. 3, 19• Codex Iuris Canonici (1983) par.

239.2, 240.2• Pastores Dabo Vobis (1992) par.

40.3, 50.4, 66.1, 66.4, 81.3• Catechism of the Catholic Church

(1992) par. 1435, 2690, 2695

• Codex Iuris Canonici (1983)– Can. 239 §2. Every seminary is to have at least one

spiritual director, though the students remain free to approach other priests who have been designated for this function by the bishop.

– Can. 240 §2. When decisions are made about admitting students to orders or dismissing them from the seminary, the opinion of the spiritual director and confessors can never be sought.

Catechism of the Catholic Church• 1435 Conversion is accomplished in daily life

by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults to one's brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one's cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance.

• 2690 The Holy Spirit gives to certain of the faithful the gifts of wisdom, faith and discernment for the sake of this common good which is prayer (spiritual direction). Men and women so endowed are true servants of the living tradition of prayer. According to St. John of the Cross, the person wishing to advance toward perfection should "take care into whose hands he entrusts himself, for as the master is, so will the disciple be, and as the father is so will be the son." And further: "In addition to being learned and discreet a director should be experienced. . . . If the spiritual director has no experience of the spiritual life, he will be incapable of leading into it the souls whom God is calling to it, and he will not even understand them."

What is the Difference between Counseling and Spiritual Direction?

• Client-centered• Concerned with “problem”

• About relationships with others, self

• Seeks resolution of emotional conflict

• Personal well-being is desired result

• Self = center of person• Relationships with others

viewed as affecting self

• God-centered• Concerned with spiritual

progress• About relationship with God

• Seeks intimacy with God

• Doing God’s Will for me is desired result

• God = center of person• All relationships are viewed

as God-centered

Counseling Spiritual Direction• “Being real” is being “in

touch with myself”• Purpose is self-actualization

• Result is achieved through behavior change

• By guidance and group dynamics

• Enlightened by results of research studies

• Frees self to enjoy pleasures of this-world existence

• “Being real” is opening up to God

• Purpose is coming in possession of God

• Result is achieved by release of force of Grace

• By responding to actual graces

• Enlightened by revelations of Jesus’ Teaching

• Frees person to encounter pleasure of God’s Love

Counseling Spiritual Direction

• Protective of a strong “ego center”

• To experience the most of my time on earth

• To make most of what others can mean to me

• To avoid pain and displeasure (dis-ease)

• To love others for myself• To love others so I can love

my “higher power”

• Displace “ego center” to “God-within” as center

• To experience the deepest of my reality/call

• To sacrifice myself to make life meaningful for others

• To be unafraid to suffer for love

• To love others as myself• To love God so that I can love

others

Is there a Difference between the Office of Confessor and the Office

of Spiritual Director?– judge vs. teacher, guide, and

counselor– fittingness of priest as director– fittingness of same priest as confessor

and director– obligation of priest to hear

confessions and freedom of priest to refuse office of spiritual director for any given soul

What are the Technical Qualities of a Good Director?

» Learning – knowledge of spiritual life and souls

» prudence in decisions» clarity in counseling» firmness in exacting obedience» experience

What are the Moral Qualities of a Good Spiritual Director?

» holiness – nemo dat quod non habet!» Zeal for souls – Amor Christi urget nos!» Humility – readiness to consult others

when needed, to prayerfully reflect and avoid rash decisions, to receive graces needed to be apt director of souls

» Disinterested – “Feed my sheep!”

What are some of the Duties of a Spiritual Director?

– to know the soul being directed– to give instruction– to encourage the soul– to direct the spiritual life of the soul– to correct defects– to direct by progressive stages– to observe confidentiality– to practice what he preaches – get

direction for himself

What are Some of the Qualities that Should be Present in the One Who seeks Direction?• Qualities necessary for direction– sincerity – director should know all that pertains

to one’s spiritual life– there is freedom in choosing the director and

freedom in discontinuing direction, but there must be obedience with regard to the spiritual direction received

– vow of obedience – its acceptability and cautions– Perseverance – give relationship time– Discretion in revealing content of your spiritual

direction to others – it may not apply to them

What are some classes of directees where direction is crucial?

• Young man or woman discerning a vocation• A beginner in the spiritual life coming off a

conversion retreat or weekend needing help in entering into the spiritual life

• Person experiencing strong temptations and/or scruples

• Person in transition toward illuminative way (passive night of sense)

• Person in transition toward unitive way (passive night of spirit)

Some Other Related Questions about Spiritual Direction

– How does one choose a Director?– Can I change my Director? And if so

when is it permissible/advisable?» useless direction» harmful direction (“Bad direction is

worse than no direction”)– Can one have a number of spiritual

directors?– Can I do spiritual direction by email?

What are Some Resources on Spiritual Direction?

• Garrigou-Lagrange, Reginald. The Three Ages of the Interior Life, vol. I, pp. 256-264.

• Parente, Pascal. Spiritual Direction. Abbey Press, 1950.

• Doyle, Charles. Guidance in Spiritual Direction. Newman Press, 1959.

• Royo, Antonio and Jordan Aumann. The Theology of Christian Perfection, pp. 593-614.

• Dubay, Thomas. Seeking Spiritual Direction. Servant Books, 1993.

• Aumann, Jordan. Spiritual Theology, pp. 380-398.• Tanquerey, Adolphe. The Spiritual Life, pp. 257-270.