Priests complete spiritual direction training

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
February 3, 2005

Eight priests from the Diocese of Sioux City recently completed a training program for certification in spiritual direction through The Institute for Priestly Formation.

Priests completing the program were: Father Jim Bruch, pastor at St. Joseph's in Milford; Father Jerry Feierfeil, pastor at Nativity Parish in Sioux City; Father Dan Guenther, pastor at Holy Family Church in Emmetsburg; Msgr. Mervin Hood, retired priest of the diocese who resides in Fort Dodge; Father John McGuirk, pastor at St. Martin in Odebolt and St. Joseph in Wall Lake; Father Patrick O'Kane, pastor at Sacred Heart in Early and St. Joseph in Schaller; Father Jim Tigges, pastor at St. James in Le Mars and Father Thomas Topf, pastor at St. Michael in Kingsley.

Participants attended class in three one-week sessions - each May, October and January - for three years.

The institute offers two locations for the program, one in Chicago and other in the Diocese of Austin, Texas. Priests from the Diocese of Sioux City attended the Chicago-based program that was held at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo, former bishop of Sioux City was very supportive of this program. With this in mind, the Diocese of Sioux City partially underwrote costs of the program.

Father Richard Gabuzda, S.T.D., of Omaha serves as the director for the Chicago-based program. He worked with a team of educators to present the program. Father Kevin Richter of the Diocese of Sioux City was a member of the team.

"This marks the completion of the first round of the program. We are delighted with the graces which each of the participants have received. We know that these graces will be of benefit to them personally as well as to those people they serve," he said.

Along with the priests from the Diocese of Sioux City, there were about 30 others who participated in the program offered in Chicago. Many were from the Midwest, coming from places such as the Sioux Falls Diocese, Archdiocese of Omaha and Diocese of Des Moines.

In the first year, participants in the program study The Art of Spiritual Direction and the Identity of the Diocesan Priest. The second year looks at Pastoral Diagnostics and the Discernment of Spirits for the Diocesan Priest as Spiritual Physician. In the final year the emphasis was on Teaching Prayer, The Parish Retreat and Spiritual Administration for the Diocesan Priest as Spiritual Father. Each of the October meetings included silent, directed retreats.

While the program is intended to help train priests to serve as spiritual directors for other priests, many participants praise the program for the spiritual nourishment and direction it brought in their own lives. This, in turn, will carry over to other areas of their priestly ministry.

"The spiritual direction program was time well-spent getting reacquainted with God and his working in my life," said Father Tigges. "Through prayer, study, discussion and the relationships with other priests, I gained a greater knowledge of myself. The opportunities it will provide was well worth the effort."

Father Feierfeil said that Father George Aschenbrenner, S.J., has it right.

"The fire that energizes priestly life must be re-kindled from time to time. Not just for ourselves, but for the unique blessing of being Spirit-bearers to our brother priests. In 37 years of ministry, I've found no experience to match this program's potential, with its refreshing immersion in Ignatian spirituality, to fan the fire back to a long-delayed new Pentecost," he said.

Others also commented on the powerful experience.

Father Guenther said that the program did more for him than any other retreat, workshop or renewal program in his 22 years of priesthood.

"It has brought me to greater involvement in personal prayer, regular spiritual direction and understanding the truer purpose of priesthood. A fire has been re-ignited and a joy has been restored for the priesthood that in recent years has been greatly shaken," he said. "I'm left with a great sense of gratitude for being a part of this program."

Father McGuirk found this to be the most worthwhile program he has experienced in his whole priesthood.

"It gave me the tools to understand how God works in our lives and how to direct people so they can clearly see it," he said. "Of course, to see that I had to experience it so it ends up being a gift to the people for and to myself."

For Father O'Kane, he found that the program changed his life as a priest. It challenged him to not only deepen his relationships with the "persons of the Trinity and our Blessed Mother, but to develop a contemplative way of living as a diocesan priest."

He stressed that spiritual direction is extremely important to him and it helps him stay focused on God's powerful presence in his life.

"I feel well prepared to assist others who hunger for a deeper relationship with the Lord through spiritual direction because I know personally how much it has helped me," said Father O'Kane, who will be part of the presentation team for the next three-year program that starts in May. "I will be forever grateful to Bishop DiNardo and the Diocese of Sioux City for sponsoring this program and for inviting me into this wonderful training program that challenges this priest to be a prayerful and holy minister of the Gospel."

He pointed out that Bishop DiNardo was on hand for the final two days of their program and was the main celebrant of the closing Mass.

Having served as a priest for almost 40 years, Father Jim Bruch acknowledged that he regrets he did not have this information as a young priest. At the same time he believes that, "God's timing is perfect. I don't know if I would have understood the content or the purpose of this experience if I were any younger, but then I am a slower learner."

Along with giving him a sense of hope and joy to better minister, Father Bruch described the program as a unique and positive affirmation on the call and life of a diocesan priest. The program, he added, presented a hands-on practical teaching and understanding of spirituality along with the various possibilities to enrich one's life, as he never thought possible.

"It seemed there was an ideal balance of prayer, study, solitude, social interaction and spiritual direction," said Father Topf.

Even though retired, Msgr. Hood participated in the program because St. Paul urges everyone to try and grow holy.

"This has been one of the most wonderful things that has happened in my spiritual journey of life. This course went far beyond my expectations. I am edified by others who also took the course and view our spiritual progress together," he said. "The bonus comes in doing the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius during the month of July at Creighton University in Omaha. If I am able to help others in anyway, it will be another blessing."

While it is not mandated that priests have a spiritual director, it is a growing trend and those who complete this program can attest to its value. The program enabled the priests to try out their new skills in spiritual direction as they were involved in such things as role-playing.

Seven more priests from the Diocese of Sioux City are slated to be among the participants for the next three-year series that starts in May.