News from The Catholic Prayer Club

… spreading the message of our Lord one word at a time..

June 2006

Welcome to all of the new members who joined the Catholic Prayer Club during the past month.

CPC’s Mission Statement: to provide a forum for Catholic Christians to share ideas on prayer, the development of personal spirituality, and to converse on topics pertinent to our Catholic Faith. While the guiding theme of our club is prayer, this is not intended to limit the areas of discussion. All topics pertaining to our Catholic faith are welcome. If you are not already a member of CPC we hope you will join today and that you tell your friends and family about CPC as well. It’s free and easy to join, just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/catholicprayerclub and press the Join Now key.

Spiritual Direction can help us to grow closer to God

Spiritual direction is really not about being “directed.” Rather it is more about being encouraged to draw closer to God. In the midst of our modern busy lives it is difficult to notice God’s action in our daily affairs. We must remember, however, that God seeks us where we are and it is up to us to effectively recognize His presence and grace in our everyday lives. This is where spiritual direction can help by encouraging us to explore a closer relationship with God.

At the deepest level all of us long for a more conscious experience of God’s presence and love. In spiritual direction, we reflect deeply on the experiences of daily life. After awhile we come to realize how God’s spirit is with us everywhere. We discover that God has been waiting for us to seek this closer relationship. There are many gifts of spiritual direction, integrating spirituality into our daily lives, discernment and the making of difficult choices, sharing struggles, losses, and disappointments, and the seeking of encouragement and affirmation are among the most tangible. All of these can foster growth in our relationship with God, self, others, and creation.

What should you expect?

The journey takes place in the context of confidential, one-on-one or group sessions with your spiritual director. Most spiritual directors have extensive training and formation and are seasoned in the art of spiritual direction. They also generally engage in continuing education and also meet regularly with their own spiritual director.

You and your director will agree on a convenient location and time for a meeting, usually once a month for an hour. Many directors request a nominal fee, some receive your free will donation, and others offer their time to you.

After three or four sessions, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the relationship. Whether the relationship continues for many years or for only a short period of time, it is important to be comfortable with the spiritual director you choose.

How do you find a spiritual director?

Start by asking questions.

• Your local parish probably has a list of directors in your area. You can also check with your diocese office.

• Many of the religious orders provide spiritual direction and operate retreat centers including the Jesuits and the Franciscans.

• Also check among your friends and fellow members of any groups that you are a member of in your parish.

• Contact Spiritual Directors International at www.sdiworld.org or by phone at 425-455-1565.

My personal experience in working with a spiritual director has been very positive and helpful to me as I endeavor to grow ever closer to God. A good introduction to the concept is in the context of a weekend retreat, which is how I first tried it. This affords one the opportunity to work with a director for a couple of days without making a longer commitment. It is also an excellent chance to ask any questions that you may have about spiritual direction.

So if you are thinking about trying to find meaning beyond the moment or are looking for a way to discover your true self and draw closer to God you should give spiritual direction a try.

Steven Macy

New York, NY

CPC Prayer Intention for June

For all of those that are graduating from school and embarking on the next step of their life journey and for all teachers and others that labor in the vineyard of education. Lord hear our prayer…

In order to get the best out of your membership in the Catholic Prayer Club make sure that you check out the Links and Files on our Web page. They provide a host of resource information including the entire text of both the Catholic Catechism and the New American Bible. You can even find downloadable forms on how to lead a discussion group on the fictitious representations in the Da Vinci Code book and movie. Not yet a member of CPC? Join now and find out why hundreds of Catholics from around the world find CPC fun and helpful in their practice of the faith.