IGNIS JR
Monthly Newsletter of The
Ignatian Spirituality Institute
March 2008

Many years ago, a newly-ordained associate priest was assigned to my parish. Many parishioners, myself included, discovered that he had a talent for really listening when people needed to share their burdens or wanted to talk about their journey of faith. I met with him in an attempt to discern what God's desire was for me: continue being a stay-at-home mom who did substitute teaching, return to teaching full time, or get an M.A. in theology and find full-time work as a Pastoral Minister.

Decision. Decisions. He suggested that I try meeting with someone who had training as a spiritual director. With some trepidation I called one of the names on the list he gave me and made an appointment. God is good! The individual was a perfect "fit" - a very wise and understanding woman religious with a great sense of humor.

She suggested that I look up a passage from the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29: 11-14): "For I know well the plan I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the Lord, and I will change your lot."

I set aside time daily and prayed for openness of mind and heart. This Scripture passage evoked feelings of comfort and great trust, and it helped move my decision process along. My spiritual director did not give me advice or suggest ways of "solving" my quandary. Prayer is two-way communication; with her help I became more conscious of God's movement in my daily life. It was work. St. Ignatius likens it to developing our muscles or skills for any activity we want to do well. Like Jeremiah, I found hope and trust in praying, listening and paying attention to this loving caring God who was truly interested in my future.

Having been a beneficiary of spiritual direction I realized that I wanted to become a spiritual director myself. Three years ago I applied to the Ignatian Spirituality Institute, a two-year certificate program at John Carroll University in Cleveland. I became part of a fun carpool and found the classes a challenge. Even though I completed the classes, I continue to study the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and periodically meet with an experienced spiritual director to talk over my experiences of putting into practice the Ignatian approach to prayer - an approach that includes not only the intellect, memory, and will, but also the senses and active imagination.

The classic definition of "prayer" is "raising the heart and mind to God." William A. Barry, S.J., who has written several of the books I studied in class, describes prayer as "a conscious personal relationship with God." God continually invites each person to an awareness of God's presence but we are free to take notice or not, to respond or not. Fr. Barry defines "Christian spiritual direction" as "help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God's personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship," which also involves asking God to reveal to us our sins and sinful tendencies.

A spiritual director's role is to facilitate a directee's process of noticing WHO and WHOSE he or she is: God's beloved child, no matter how we might fail to be all that we can be. I encourage my directees to pray about the stuff of daily life, whatever that is for them, and see where the Spirit of God is calling them. When appropriate I suggest readings from Scripture or spiritual reading, such as the lives of the saints.

Some people confuse the role of a spiritual director with that of a counselor, but the two professions are completely different. Whereas counselors are licensed by their own state boards, spiritual directors receive a certificate from the institution from which they receive their training. Spiritual direction does not involve counseling, giving advice or psychotherapy. Instead, spiritual directors try to "help another person or group to awaken to the mystery called God in all of life, and to respond to that discovery in a growing relationship of freedom and commitment."(Barry) This last sentence expresses what I experience as a result of doing the 19th Annotation Retreat which are the Spiritual Exercises done day-to-day over a period of months.

The Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll which prepares spiritual directors is a non-credit, non-degree certificate two year program. Year I is academically focused, with classes in Theology and Scripture, with particular emphasis upon Christian Anthropology, Christology and scriptural exegesis pertinent to the work of spiritual direction. Spirituality, particularly Ignatian spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises are also emphasized along with developmental models of psychosexual maturation, and the cultivation of listening skills.  The work was challenging but the small size of the group and the wisdom and expertise of our Professor, Dr. Joan Nuth, made the three and a half hour classes speed by.  Of course there were texts to read, papers to write and lots of prayer time of our own.  The second year had additional class work with a supervised practicum.     

The training of all spiritual directors might not have the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius as the heart of the curriculum but many of the topics and skills taught would be similar and all would include a practicum.   Not all spiritual directors have the training or gifts to give retreats but most can provide direction for individuals who do a personal directed retreat.  During my practicum I was under the guidance of a supervisor and helped guide me through my practicum.  Again, the work was challenging but I was blessed with a supervisor that was very knowledgeable about the Spiritual Exercises and a wise and patient mentor.  I constantly prayed that I would learn to be quiet, listen, and stay out of God’s way, for bottom line, the work of spiritual direction is God’s work not that of the director. 

There is no national certifying board for spiritual directors but most institutions that offer training, have demanding requirements that have to be satisfied before they grant certificates.  There is however an international professional organization, Spiritual Director International which provides possibilities for networking, maintains a list of spiritual directors, and offers access to workshops and professional resources. (www.sdi.org)  I belong to SDI and look forward to attending their international conference this year.  Many spiritual directors continue to meet with an individual supervisor or a peer supervision group, make an annual five or eight day retreat and meet with his/her own spiritual director on a regular basis.  A spiritual director makes a commitment to pray for a set time daily; demanding yes, but it is a matter of each spiritual director growing in their own relationship with God. 

Spiritual directors are taught to refer to an appropriate mental health professional person anyone who might seem to benefit from psychological counseling.   Spiritual direction is not always appropriate in every instance and when an individual meets with a new spiritual director it is always good to meet for a few times to see if the director and the directee are compatible.  If someone doesn’t make any attempts to pray regularly or cultivate a life of prayer or grow in their spiritual life then possibly spiritual direction is not for them and that can be a mutually agreed upon decision.    

Spiritual directors ordinarily receive a stipend for their services. Most spiritual directors, myself included give a range –anywhere from $25-$60 a session with the stipulation that the directee pays what is affordable for her/his budget.  If the person can’t afford even the basic amount, he or she offers what they can, and if someone can easily afford more they might do so.  The decision is set between the directee and director and varies according to situation.  Most spiritual directors, work on a part-time basis in addition to offering retreats and giving presentations or offering workshops.  I love teaching and really enjoy offering adult formation classes especially scripture or training people for ministries in addition to my spiritual direction work.  I am very blessed in that I can meet with individuals at the Ursuline Center in Canfield in an area that is prayerful and provides privacy.  Like the priest in confession or a counselor, spiritual directors keep confidential whatever is shared during a session.  

The ministry of spiritual direction includes persons from all vocations. In the past, most spiritual directors were priests or religious, but today, more lay people are becoming trained in this.  My class of 13 included one religious sister who worked with young adult retreat ministry, an Episcopalian pastoral minister, a psychologist, someone else who worked at a homeless shelter, and a Methodist pastoral minister, a physician, a housewife and a couple of parish pastoral ministers.  The class was obviously ecumenical but we all shared a love for the scriptures and the desire to help others grow deeper in their relationship with God and share their own deep faith.  We learned from each other.  In my practice I have met with people who are not Catholic but are Christian believers.     

My own ministry as a spiritual director has been especially gratifying for me, because through it my own relationship with God continues to grow and deepen.  I pray before and after a session for openness and attentiveness to the Spirit’s presence.  I know that in order to direct others I must be transparent and authentic in my own spiritual life and well grounded in knowing who I am.   

The most common desire I hear expressed by directees is a great desire to learn how to pray better and a hunger to be a better person with healthier relationships that are reflective of their response to God’s constant presence.  I have also gained an appreciation for the holiness of directees who face great challenges in daily living but still seek a sense of God’s presence and felt love. I am humbled by the directees’ trust in me and the process of spiritual direction and honored to be part of their faith journeys.  

I delight in the time I set aside for contemplation.  I am very blessed to have the flexibility in my schedule that enables me to take time frequently during the day if I feel the need.  In fact after awhile prayer and daily experiences simply seem to merge, God’s presence is constant and our awareness and consciousness becomes constant.    In the end the best way I can sum it all up is that GOD IS GOOD and I am very blessed and grateful for this ministry.   

 Eileen Novotny is a member of Canfield St. Michael Parish and the former director of the Office of Lay Ministry Formation for the Diocese of Youngstown. Persons interested in spiritual direction or in participating in a “Retreat in Daily Living” (following the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola) may get in touch with her at the Ursuline Center at 330-799-4941, or at home at 330-533-3831. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary, based in Villa Maria, Pa., also offer spiritual direction and the “Retreat in Daily Life.” Information: 724-964-8920.