In an address commemorating the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Joseph Cafasso, a 19th century priest from the northern Italian city of Turin, who was a moral theology professor and a respected spiritual director.
Pope Benedict said of the saint, “His secret was simple: being a man of God, doing, in the small daily activities, ‘that which could give the greatest glory to God and in favor of souls.”
Among those who looked to him for direction was the young St. John Bosco, also a resident of Turin, of whom the Holy Father noted that the Fr. Cafasso never sought to create in him “a disciple in his image and likeness.”
Don Bosco, the Pope recalled, imitated his teacher “in the human and priestly virtues … but maintained his own attitudes and his own specific vocation, a sign of the wisdom of the spiritual director and of the intelligence of the disciple …”
“Dear friends,” said Pope Benedict, “this is a precious teaching for all those who are committed to the formation and education of the young generations and also a strong call back to how much it is important to have a spiritual guide in our lives, who can help us to understand what it is that God wants from us.”
Spiritual Direction is a way of being with another. It is sacred time. It is a time for the directee (that is you) to have the space and time to visit their own personal story and with the director’s help, discern what God may be speaking to their life.
Lisa Downs, the Lifelong Formation and Spirituality Director at Saint Francis Xavier in Mount Washington has completed the nine month training program for spiritual directors, and is now accepting parishioners for spiritual direction.
Each session generally lasts one hour. Typically, the director meets with the directee once a month, more if needed.
If you would like this service, please contact Lisa at the parish office, 502-955-5355, 502-538-4933, or
lisa.downs@sfxmw.com
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