What is a “program of life” and why is it important to my spiritual progress?
Dear Father John, what is a “Program of Life” and why is it important to my spiritual progress and Spiritual Direction? One of the enemies of good spiritual direction is excessive subjectivity. We all...
View ArticleSpiritual direction: how much focus on prayer vs sin & virtue?
Dear Father John, How much of a discussion in spiritual direction should focus on moral issues, such as habitual sin and possibly that of grave matter which may not necessarily be mortal sin? So much...
View ArticleSpiritual Direction Post and Series Index
Dear Friends, To make it easier for you to find key posts on spiritual direction we have updated our Spiritual Direction Index page. As well, we have ordered the posts in a way in keeping with the flow...
View ArticleHow can I identify my root sin?
Dear Father John, I am not in spiritual direction right now, but I am trying to put together a program of life anyway. Can you give me some pointers about identifying my “root sin”? You are already on...
View ArticleWhat virtues can I practice to overcome the root sin of sensuality?
Dear Father John, Thank you for the post on root sin. It has definitely helped me. My question is, charity and humility seem to be the virtues to practice if the root sin is pride or vanity. But what...
View ArticleShould I relax my “Rule of Life” during holidays? Part I of II
Dear Father John, Is it right to relax one’s Rule during a holiday period (or a day off)? If so, what should we hang on to and what should we ‘shelve’? What about a priest with a fairly demanding Rule...
View ArticleShould I relax Rule of Life during holidays? (II/II)
Dear Father John, Is it right to relax one’s Rule during a holiday period (or a day off)? If so, what should we hang on to and what should we ‘shelve’? What about a priest with a fairly demanding Rule...
View ArticleNavigating the New Year
Lay people often overlook a source of deep spirituality and safety. One of the spiritual secrets of those in the religious life is a kind of spiritual guardrail system that helps them to know the path...
View ArticleHow does a person accept God’s mercy?
Dear Father John, I am helping a woman in her spiritual growth (mainly through helping her come up with a program of life), and something came up that I wanted to ask you about. She has shared with me...
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