The job of a spiritual director is not to command or pressure you into a vocation. Rather, a good spiritual director will guide, advise, teach and encourage you on your path to sanctity. The relationship you have with your spiritual director is within the internal forum, meaning that it is extremely confidential. A man can pour out his heart and soul to his spiritual director, confident that whatever he says will not be repeated to others. During regularly scheduled meetings, you will be free to discuss not only your vocation but also your strengths and weaknesses, vices and virtues. You will discuss the health of your relationships with family and friends and how to improve them. In addition, your prayer life and love for Jesus are essential areas that must be addressed. Overall, growing in self-knowledge under the guidance of a spiritual director, one becomes freer to discern the life to which the Lord is calling him. Be cautious. Don’t think that spiritual direction will not benefit you. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux understood the necessity of a spiritual guide when he said, “He who is his own master is a disciple of a fool!” In discerning a vocation, the help of a good spiritual director will be indispensable.

Spiritual directors are here to facilitate a deepening in your relationship with Jesus Christ and live a full Christian life, but ultimately, the Holy Spirit is your primary spiritual director. Your spiritual director will help you be more attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and encourage your progress in the spiritual life. A director plays a supportive role in your relationship with God by encouraging you to engage in a process of ongoing spiritual growth.

Usually they have gone through a spiritual direction training program.

Kelly completed spiritual direction training through St. Vincent’s Seminary and College Institute for Ministry Formation.

A spiritual direction meeting is a one-on-one meeting during which you and your director discuss your spiritual life. Your spiritual director will ask you questions like: where have you noticed God in your life since last we met? Your prayer life and suggestions for ways to pray could be discussed as well.

The frequency of spiritual direction is usually once a month for an hour.