What exactly is spiritual direction?
Spiritual direction is concerned with helping a person directly with his or her relationship with God. It is a process carried out in an one-on-one interpersonal context. Spiritual direction helps a person listen to and articulate God’s call in one’s life and to respond in love to that call. The primary purpose of spiritual direction is to help people grow in an affective, conscious, and explicit relationship with God.

How often do I meet with my director and for how long?
Ordinarily a directee meets individually with the director for an hour of conversation every 3 – 4 weeks. In times of great need, these meetings will be more frequent. At other times, the time between sessions can be extended.

Who are the directors?
The pool of available directors includes Jesuit scholastics (seminarians), Jesuit priests, nuns, and lay pastoral ministers trained in the art of spiritual direction. After receiving your application, we will assign a director who we believe will be a good fit.

Where do the spiritual direction sessions take place?
Many of the directors will meet with their directees at Loyola University’s Lake Shore campus, but others will meet you at other locations throughout the Chicago area. The location for the meeting will depend on who is assigned to you.

When does it start & how long does this last?
Once you are paired with a spiritual director, Charis will provide you with their contact information. You are then free to set up your first appointment. These sessions will continue with your spiritual director for as long as you and the director judge these meetings to be helpful. You can expect to review the value of this process after your first meeting, and—should you decide to continue—every six months after that.

What does it cost?
There is no charge if you are working with an intern, i.e. someone who is learning spiritual direction under the supervision of a more experienced director. A stipend would be expected if you are working with a more experienced, veteran spiritual director. The exact amount of this gift is usually on a sliding scale, depending on your financial resources. The fee can vary from $10 to $50 per session.

When can I start?
Right now! Interns are available now to help you on your spiritual journey, as well as veteran spiritual directors.

What if I am unhappy with my director?
If you think that you would be better served by a different director, simply contact Charis to discuss the matter and to apply for another director.

How do I apply?
Fill out an application and email it to spiritualdirection@charisministries.org.
You can contact Jesse with questions at 773.508.3237.