Group Spiritual Direction

Group Spiritual Direction is facilitated by a trained spiritual director and takes place in a small group setting. It provides the benefit of shared insights and broadened perspectives among the group. Orientation is a pre-requisite for those new to the group process.

As in one-to-one spiritual direction, group spiritual direction helps participants to grow in their ability to notice and to respond to the ways in which God offers us opportunities for spiritual growth in the events of our daily life. The group process differs from a private session in that group members participate in the process of exploration of these opportunities. Each session lasts up to two hours, depending on the numbers present. Groups are limited to five or six participants.

In the group process, participants share with the group as follows:

1. The group begins with silent reflection. Then the facilitator reads a short passage of scripture and asks one or two questions to stimulate further reflection.
2. A brief period of silence follows after which the facilitator declares the session open for "rounds."
3. Whoever is ready shares how the scripture or questions speak to his/her personal experience.
4. The round continues with each of the others in the group responding, in turn, with their perceptions of how the Spirit was manifest in what the first person shared. Quiet prayer for the first speaker closes the round.
5. This same procedure is followed until all have shared their story.
6. The session closes as it began, in silence-giving participants time to review what they have experienced and to identify a direction for themselves before they leave and also a focus for their prayer for the others in the group.

The guidelines are few. The fundamental requirement is that participants must have a sincere desire to experience God more fully in their life. In addition, they are asked to:

1. Make a commitment to support one another in the desire to experience God more fully
2. Be committed to praying for one another
3. Be consistent in some regular, personal spiritual practice (such as daily prayer, meditation, worship, etc.)
4. Be considerate about time
5. Talk about how they experience God--not their religious beliefs
6. Listen respectfully to one another
7. Hold in reverence and confidence what is said in the group

About our Trained Spiritual Directors   Our spiritual directors have either a masters or doctoral degree and a certificate in spiritual direction. Each year Christine Parks, CSJ; Gertrude Maurer, CSJ; Laura Smith, CSJ; Virginia Jones, CSJ; Elizabeth Tompkins and Steve Doughty provide spiritual direction to individuals from many faiths and many walks of life.

For more information about Group Spiritual direction contact us or call (269) 381-6290, ext. 285



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