Online Enrichment for Spiritual Directors: Reimagining Sin with Paul Burgmayer

Reimagining Sin: An Exploration Towards Freedom

Consider the following questions:

• Is the word “sin” a comfortable part of your faith vocabulary? Does the word hold significant weight and meaning for you? Or, conversely, is it such a burden that you sidestep it in prayer and spiritual direction, maybe by substituting other words like “addiction” or “brokenness”?
• How do you understand sin? Is it an action, a state of consciousness, an inevitable part of our humanity, or – as for the Jesuit Jean Danielou – “the measure of our soul’s awareness of God”?
• If a directee raises the topic of sin, are you at ease exploring it with them?
• For you, is sin purely a personal matter, or do we sin collectively in our faith community, culture, or even looking back historically? If you recognize collective sin, do you try to connect these different levels in your own spiritual life? With your directees?
• If you are guiding someone through the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises, do you ever wish for alternative approaches to addressing the concept of sin so that the process feels more liberating for the exertant (and you)?

If these questions stir something in you, we invite you to join us as we explore the topic of sin with an goal of helping make “sin” a comfortable part of your faith vocabulary. Together, we will delve into sin’s changing meanings through history, consider what constitutes sin in today’s culture, and how an understanding of sin varies across faith communities. Our journey will lead us to examine the profound and inseparable link between sin and our relationship with God, discovering how this connection can enhance our spiritual direction practice.

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April 7, 2024: Nicholas Collura

A Trauma-Informed Approach to Ignatian Spiritual Direction

Trauma-informed care has become an important standard in many of the helping professions. Despite our best intentions, it is easy for us to retraumatize survivors of violence if we do not adequately reflect on the risks inherent in our practice. For instance, many spiritual practitioners encourage closed eyes and deep breathing during meditation — a posture of vulnerability that can feel unsafe for some who have experienced significant powerlessness or harm. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius encourage vivid visual reflection on a bloody and agonizing crucifixion, which can induce a feeling of helplessness for those who carry the weight of moral injury. In the enrichment session, we will discuss the impact of trauma upon spiritual experience and will explore trauma-informed adaptations of the Spiritual Exercises and of Ignatian spirituality and spiritual direction more broadly

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