The experience of maintaining a spiritual direction practice via the internet.
The pandemic has disrupted much of our lives and routines, forcing us to adjust the way we relate to one another.
For many spiritual directors, moving direction relationships online and having to forgo the in-person relationship was a significant adjustment. What has that experience been like? How is it different than in-person directing?
Our panel of experienced directors discussed their own experiences with online spiritual direction. They addressed the pros and cons of online directing, what if anything surprised them, and the future they anticipate for online direction, once people can safely meet in person again.
Meet Our Presenters:
Susan Baker was on the staff of the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA, for 28 years, serving as director for ten of those years. During that time, she was involved in retreat direction, training of retreat and spiritual directors, Ignatian spirituality programs, and ongoing spiritual direction. During the pandemic, Susan has offered spiritual direction, supervision, and retreat direction (five- and seven-day) virtually through Zoom, as well as in-person retreat direction at the Jesuit Center until its closure in August 2021. At present she continues a spiritual direction practice from her home through Zoom.
Br. Chris Derby, SJ, is Provincial Assistant for Spiritual Ministries for the USA East Jesuit Province. Immediately before joining the Province staff, Chris spent five years as Executive Director of the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA, where he also offered spiritual and retreat direction.
Alex Lavy is a high school teacher and spiritual director. He is a lay person who lives in Brooklyn and teaches in Manhattan. He trained in spiritual direction at Xavier Parish and at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA. He has been practicing adult spiritual direction since 2018 and has worked with young people in campus ministry at schools for his entire career as an educator.
Fr. Thomas R. Slon, SJ, is the superior of the Canisius Jesuit Community in Buffalo, NY. He earned a Masters in Divinity and Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, MA, now the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College. He also holds a Masters in Architecture from the Catholic University of America, and worked as an architect renovating church buildings until he was missioned to internal governance and administration in the Society of Jesus. He is spiritual director for seminarians, deacons and priests, candidates for the Society of Jesus, and others.