*The following article is adapted from an interview with Fr. Walter Schu, LC. When a spiritual directee is seeking to find a good spiritual director, there are certain qualities to look for: a good listener, a deep prayer life, practical, and down-to-earth. Similarly, according to Fr. Walter Schu, LC, an assistant professor of Integrative Studies…
The Spiritual Direction Certificate program here at Divine Mercy University is beginning its third academic term this August. The program has seen close to 90 students begin the path of deepening their skills in ministry. Students from the first cohort recently shared some of their experience in the program. Below are responses from Renee Pomarico,…
When considering a spiritual director, we may find ourselves picturing an individual or individuals of tremendous greatness. We may find ourselves thinking of a fearless leader guiding us through lethal terrain, or a warrior striking down our enemies before us. We may picture a great analyst and teacher of the spirit or a drill sergeant…
“The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” “And with your spirit.” This simple, yet profound greeting at the beginning of every Mass reminds us of what makes up the very fabric of our lives as Christians: grace, love, communion….
The Spiritual Direction Certificate Program at Divine Mercy University brings together beautiful traditions and integrates them in a way which will have a great impact on students. First we have the age-old tradition of spiritual direction which has been around since Jesus walked this earth, with foreshadowing of it in the Old Testament. Also the…
You all have very different religious backgrounds, what was writing the chapter on EQ and spirituality like? Yes, we all come from very theological backgrounds, all within a Christian framework, but three diverse practices, and it really added a lot [to the writing]. Also, having both men and women writing gave us an invaluable male-female…
At the basis of our relationship with God, is God’s revelation, his narrative about himself. How he is our loving creator, our sustainer, our father, and our friend. And how he overflows with goodness, with beauty, with charity. But there is another narrative… an anti-narrative. In Genesis 3:1, we read that the serpent came into…
St. John of the Cross in The Living Flame of Love dedicates much time to considering how a spiritual director who does not know the ways of God can become a major obstacle to a soul’s growth in union with God. For St. John this “knowing the ways of God” implies knowing the ways of…
Francis de Sales, Ignatius of Loyola, Columba Marmion- saints who led the way before canonization. This short blog will take a brief look at multiple saints from over the centuries who offered spiritual direction either in person or in writing, many of whom accompanied future saints. With these examples, it is safe to say that…
The Catholic Church released the first papal encyclical in 1891 called “Rerum Novarum” meaning “Of New Things,” subtitled “On Conditions of Labor.” Working conditions of the time were difficult- low pay, a surplus of workers for the amount of unskilled labor jobs meant workers were easily replaced. All of this made competition for jobs fierce…
