Spiritual Director

[BarbTherese]

I have not only come across one priest willing to spiritually direct me, but two.  During my recent recovery from surgery (now fully healed and putting life back together again), I contacted (I thought!) a religious order of priests and brothers near me and where I had been to Mass a few times.  I wanted to find out if they undertook spiritual direction as a ministry.   Things from there unfolded very quickly and what I in fact did inadvertently was contact two different Fr. J's in two completely different religious orders!  Recovery road muddle headedness it must have been.

 

I have now received two emails from two different religious orders - and how I got mixed up, I have no idea.  One priest I am seeing this Wednesday and the other has asked me to contact him mid July after he returns from interstate.  I have had to advise my second email priest that I was really confused and inadvertently contacted two different religious orders.  I am really interested in the priest I am seeing Wednesday and his religious order was my original interest.  I have been to Mass celebrated by his community a few times and been very impressed, including with the homilies.  Fr J is the superior in his community and also responsible for novice formation.

 

I have advised my religious sister current director that I am moving on, which was very hard to do and she is now questioning herself - and I have tried to allay her concerns and will be visiting her as a friend in the future.  With recent surgery, I feel as if I have been tapped on the shoulder and reminded that I have a use by date.........but not just yet.  I have a distinct consciousness of "mission unfinished". And this could have many reasons.  My way of life is entirely the opposite to that I lived for 30 years in another suburb and I guess I am questioning myself too about my own way of life at this point.  Not only this, I have always desired to be directed by a religious order priest specifically - and I think that my religious sister director and I have probably been at a standstill really for some time now. A religious order priest originally set me out on my journey of private vows - now of some 35 years.   It can happen that it is time for director and directed to part - and it is the fault of neither really, just The Holy Spirit indicating for His own reasons: "Time to move on".  Of course, one really has no guarantees it is indeed The Holy Spirit..........one hopes!  And The Lord will never see one astray for long at all.  His Will unfolds gently in the days.  And if I find I am up a creek somehow, I simply correct matters gently and in Peace.  The Lord permitted me to wander off target for a bit - and for His own reasons.  In all things regardless, rejoice - and research "The Permissive Will of God" http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/06/20/how-can-i-know-the-will-of-god-in-my-life-part-i-of-ii  Also see the Catholic Catechism on the subject.

 

Prayer for Wednesday please and also for Sr. E, my previous director of some 7 years or more, and also for me and my way of life and that there will be some sort of renewed clarity ahead somewhere or other and that my rather restless consciousness of "unfinished mission" will be transcended by "on the road again" or similar.