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Clear our heart, O God,
that we may see you.
Clear our heart, O God,
that we may truly see ourselves.
Clear our heart, O God,
that we may know the sacredness of this moment
and in every moment
seek you
serve you
strengthen you
as the Living Presence in every presence.
Clear our heart, O God,
that we may see.
| | ~by John Philip Newell, Praying with the Earth | | |
My Monday usually begins by reviewing the weekly list of those who contact us seeking a spiritual director. They share their hopes for spiritual direction and in their own words express a desire for a clear heart. A recent seeker noted feeling confused and distraught at the current state of the world while expressing a desire to grow in faith. Indeed, more seekers are looking for someone to companion them through these chaotic times, a spiritual director who can help them see God more clearly.
When I long for a clear heart, especially in confusing times, I think of the Examen’s power to sift through our day as we search for the sacredness of each moment. Gazing with God in the way the Examen invites cuts through the confusion and brings a bit more clarity. The fragments of our day fall into place as we turn toward Christ in whom “all things hold together.” (Col 1:17)
In her Examen for Teens with Anxiety, Stephanie Clouatre Davis likens the Examen's invitation to notice where God felt absent to "the gentle cleaning of glasses with a soft cloth to see more clearly." What a great image for spiritual directors. Through spiritual practices like the Examen, we wipe away what clouds our vision so that we can do our part in clearing the communal heart that longs to see the face of God.
What spiritual practice helps to clear your heart?
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Autumn blessings,
Nancy
Nancy Small
Associate Director for Spiritual Direction Initiatives
Office of Ignatian Spirituality
USA East Province of the Society of Jesus
929-232-3056
nsmall@jesuits.org
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In August Michelle Gomez joined the OIS Team as our part-time Ignatian Spiritual Direction Initiative (ISDI) Program Coordinator.
Michelle brings a wealth of experience in Ignatian spirituality, including years of work with our Catalog referral service. She is a trained spiritual director who offers retreats and leads Ignatian formation opportunities for parents in the Regis High School community. Welcome to your new role, Michelle!
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Two Languages, One Voice: The Trauma-Informed Spiritual Exercises
A Virtual Series for Ignatian Spiritual Directors and Givers of the Spiritual Exercises
Nov. 13, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET
Program Leaders: Fr. Rob McChesney, SJ, and Lisa López Levers, Ph.D., LPCC-S, LPC, CRC, NCC
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Join us for the final session of this three-part virtual series for Ignatian spiritual directors and givers of the Spiritual Exercises who seek to grow their understanding, capacity, and skills to accompany affected victim-survivors and those who love them.
This final session will include special guest Dr. Lisa López Levers, a noted expert in the field of trauma counseling.
New registrants will receive access to the video of the first two sessions. All registrants will receive a link to view the third session after it takes place.
Click here for more information or to register.
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New! Back to the Basics and Beyond 2026
Ignatian Discernment ~ Going Deeper
Program Date: Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm ET
Program Fee: $30
Presenter: Rev. Mark Thibodeaux, SJ (view bio)
Register now.
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This annual program explores the basic building blocks of Ignatian spiritual direction in a way that invites us beyond the beginnings.
This year’s virtual program will delve into the topic of Ignatian discernment. Many spiritual directors are familiar with St. Ignatius’s Rules for Discernment and long to find practical ways to apply the wisdom these rules offer. Drawing from his book Ignatian Discernment of Spirits for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Care: Going Deeper, program leader Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, will build on the foundations of the Rules. He will share ideas that have evolved in his practice of employing the Rules in spiritual direction while offering guidance for spiritual directors eager to practice the Rules with their own directees.
This program is open to all spiritual directors – new, seasoned and everywhere in-between – who are eager to learn more about Ignatian discernment as it relates to spiritual direction. All who attend are expected to be familiar with St. Ignatius’ Rules for Discernment. (source: BeckyEldredge.com)
Click here to learn more and to register.
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Take a few moments to view or listen to the October segment in this series of short monthly reflections by Ignatian spiritual directors in the spirit of this Jubilee Year of Hope.
This month’s reflection is by Michelle Cimaroli, aci (she/her), who has been a Handmaid of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for fifteen years and is currently serving as the Director of St. Raphaela Center outside Philadelphia. She is finishing a two-year spiritual direction formation program at the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield University. Michelle is passionate about synodality, encouraging women's pastoral gifts and leadership, and creating spaces of safety, belonging and justice.
Click here to view the video recording and/or listen to the audio recording.
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The Good News of Supervision
Supervision: A Space to Grow in Freedom by Barb Quinn, RSCJ, is the latest in our Good News of Supervision series featuring personal stories of how supervision helps to inspire professional growth for spiritual directors.
“Supervision provides a space to grow in the ability to receive another's story/experience in a spirit of freedom,” writes Barb, “enabling the directee to search for and deepen their own experience of God in the company of the faithful companion of the director.” Click here to read more.
Barbara Quinn, RSCJ, is a member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart, an international community of women. From 2011 to 2024, she served as the Associate Director of Spiritual Formation at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry where she led a highly-regarded supervision group.
Click here to read more about this series and explore opportunities to share your good news of supervision story.
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The OIS Catalog of Spiritual Directors is a rich resource that refers seekers in the Jesuits USA East Province to trained spiritual directors listed in the Catalog. Information in the Catalog is confidential, viewed only by OIS Staff members when referring someone seeking a spiritual director. Click here to learn more.
If you are registered in the Catalog and need to update your record, click here (especially if your contact information or your availability to see new directees has changed).
We are in need of directors in the New York City area who have availability for one or more new directee(s).
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If you are registered in the OIS Catalog, live in the New York City area and have availability for someone new, please contact Michelle Gomez, our Program Coordinator, at mgomez@jesuits.org.
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New! OIS Catalog of Spiritual Directors Covenant
If you are listed in the OIS Catalog of Spiritual Directors, you’ve probably heard about our newly-created OIS Catalog of Spiritual Directors Covenant, which we announced by email in August with a follow-up email reminder in mid-October. This covenant is in keeping with our efforts to promote accountability, continued growth and ongoing formation. It is weaving a common thread among spiritual directors registered in the OIS Catalog and includes an Ethics in Spiritual Direction Training Module.
If you are registered in our Catalog but missed the emails we sent (which may have gone to your Spam folder) or did not receive them, please click here for more information about the Catalog Covenant and steps you can take to complete it. Thanks to all spiritual directors who have completed the Catalog Covenant and to those who are working toward completing it!
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Explore and Discern: A Call to Formation to Become A Spiritual Director
Wednesdays, Jan. 14 - May 13, 2026
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (In-person)
Holy Trinity Catholic Church Campus
Washington, DC
Application deadline: November 14, 2025
This seminar invites those who are feeling drawn to the ministry of spiritual direction to explore their desire and ability for this ministry and to discern if God is calling them to further formation.
Prerequisites:
- attended at least two retreats in daily life or completed the Spiritual Exercises in the 19th or 20th Annotation format
- receiving spiritual direction for at least one year
Visit trinity.org/training-programs-in-the-ignatian-tradition for more information.
Contact Ed McCormack at emccormack@trinity.org with questions or to apply.
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Tending the Flame Spiritual Direction Formation Program
Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center
Sandy Springs, GA
Tending the Flame is a practicum-based hybrid (onsite & virtual) program that has a foundation in Ignatian spirituality. The program strives to welcome a diverse group of participants to better serve faith communities. It is offered mostly online with 3 in-person retreats and 1 in-person residency.
Ten students (pictured below) from the Tending the Flame 2024 cohort will complete their training in December, 2025. We offer congratulations to these graduates and gratitude to their formators!
The next cohort begins March 2026. Application deadline: November 1, 2025. Read more about the program here.
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A Conference for Practitioners of the
Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola
June 13 – 15, 2026
Fairfield University
| | Watch Now: Deepening Our Engagement Series | | Our 2024 three-session Fall series, Deepening Our Engagement: Reflective Practices for Ignatian Spiritual Directors, with Damian Zynda, Th.D and Ryan Lamothe, Ph.D, is now available free-of-charge. Click here to watch this series or learn more about it. | | |
By Aizaiah G. Yong,
published by Orbis Press
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By Cindy Lee,
published by Fortress Press
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By Margaret Silf,
published by Paulist Press
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"Domination and submission are not what spiritual direction is about, but “holy listening,” presence and attentiveness…The spiritual director may be tempted to fix things…To combat such temptation, it is good to remember the spiritual maxim offered by John Irving in one of his novels: when you help people, you mess with them…The director has agreed to put herself aside so that her total attention can be focused on the other person sitting in the other chair. What a gift to bring to another, the gift of disinterested, loving attention!"
~ Margaret Guenther, Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction
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