Pope recommends spiritual direction to every Christian

May 20, 2011

Addressing members of the Pontifical Theological Faculty Teresianum 75 years after its foundation by the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Pope Benedict emphasized that Catholic spirituality must center on Jesus Christ and recommended the practice of spiritual direction to every Catholic.

The work of the Teresianum “calls for Jesus to be placed at the center of everything--your affections and thoughts, your time of prayer, study and action, the whole of your life,” Pope Benedict said. “He is the Word, the ‘living book,’ as he was for St. Teresa of Avila, who affirmed: ‘To learn the truth, there is no other book than God.’”

The Pope continued:

“As she has never failed to do, again today the Church continues to recommend the practice of spiritual direction, not only to all those who wish to follow the Lord up close, but to every Christian who wishes to live responsibly his baptism, that is, the new life in Christ,” Pope Benedict added. “Everyone, in fact, and in a particular way all those who have received the divine call to a closer following, needs to be supported personally by a sure guide in doctrine and expert in the things of God.”

“A guide can help defend oneself from facile subjectivist interpretations, making available his own supply of knowledge and experiences in following Jesus.”

 

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Further information:

• Teresianum of Rome Celebrates 75th Anniversary (VIS)
• Papal Address to the Teresianum (Zenit)
• Teresianum