Spiritual Direction 101: Your Questions Answered

Have you ever wondered if spiritual direction is only for people discerning big decisions — or if lay people can really be spiritual directors?

In this episode of He Leadeth Me, Jess is joined by Fr. Anthony Weick, a spiritual director at Grand Coteau retreat center, and Eve Doran, Program Director for the FOCUS Spiritual Development Team, to answer your top questions about spiritual direction. Together, they discuss:

• Whether lay people can serve as spiritual directors and what the Church says about it
• How to know if you need a spiritual director — and what to expect from the experience
• Practical tips for preparing, going deeper, and discerning when it might be time for a new director

Whether you’re new to direction or looking to make the most of your current relationship with a director, this conversation offers clarity, encouragement, and practical guidance.

Fr. Anthony Wieck is a Jesuit priest of the Central & Southern province. He is the sixth of nine children, and was raised on a farm in Oregon. Fr. Anthony began religious life 31 years ago, spending his first five years of formation in Rome, Italy.  As a Jesuit, he taught in three high schools in the province.  Recently he spent seven years as retreat master at the White House Retreat Center in St. Louis, coupled with spiritual direction and professorial duties at the diocesan seminary there. Now he offers great numbers of directed and preached retreats at the newly-refurbished facility in Grand Coteau, Louisiana.

Eve Doran grew up in Georgia. She is 1 of 5 children, right in the middle of 2 sets of twins. She now lives in New Braunfels, TX with her husband Stephen. This is her 6th year on staff with FOCUS. She spent 2 years on campus in Louisiana, 3 on campus in Texas, and is now the Program Director for the Spiritual Development Team.