Spiritual Companioning
Spiritual companioning, sometimes called spiritual direction, involves prayerfully listening to others and hearing where they are at in their journey of life.
It opens a highly confidential, non-judgmental and person-centred space to give attention to the movement of God’s Spirit in the midst of our daily lives. It is an opportunity to explore one’s own life and faith journey and to find the still point within.
A spiritual companion has special training but most importantly, a listening heart. They listen to us while, at the same time, listening to what God is speaking into our conversation. They help us make sense out of the diverse aspects of our lives and may touch the precise knot which has us bound, allowing God to work more freely in our lives. The precise form of each relationship is arrived at through mutual negotiation and may be altered by mutual consent. Spiritual Companions are offering a valuable service and are compensated for their work through payments for individual sessions; a monthly fee, though this need not be a barrier to seeking spiritual companioning.
Ignatian Spiritual Directors / Companions in WA
Jenny Gardner - Email - 0402 080 785
Jennifer’s initial training was in Social Work. She also spent many years working in hospital pastoral care and she has a doctorate in the Ethics of Care. Jennifer is Australian born, she is married and has two adult daughters and three grandchildren. Jennifer has been involved in Ignatian Spirituality through CLC (Christian Life Community) for many years and is currently on the National Executive of CLC. She is especially interested in women’s spiritual journeys and faith formation of the laity. She recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction at Jesuit College of Spirituality. She is able to accompany retreatants through the full Spiritual Exercises.
Sr Shelley Barlow - Email - 0499 352 899
Shelley Barlow is a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions. After ministry in religious education in Secondary schools, Shelley taught with Perth’s Catholic Institute and Centre of Faith Enrichment. She holds a graduate Certificate of Ignatian Spirituality from Melbourne College of Divinity (2008) affiliated with ACU. Shelley has an abiding passion for companioning people on their spiritual quest. More lately she has been involved in retreat work, exploring faith in many areas, especially biblical spirituality, creation spirituality, Ignatian spirituality, and in the work of 20th Century scientist- mystic Jesuit priest, Teilhard de Chardin. She accompanies people through the full spiritual exercises.
John Auer - Email - 08 9431 7148
John is an experienced spiritual director who studied at the Ignatian Spirituality Centre in London. He is a core team member of the World University spiritual direction formation program in Perth. John is an active member and meditator in the World Community for Christian Meditation. For more than ten years John offered courses at the Perth Archdiocese Centre for Faith Enrichment. He leads retreats which include giving the full Exercises of Ignatius in Daily Life and as a giver of the First Spiritual Exercises, as well as workshops and days of reflection on the themes of Contemplative and Ignatian Spirituality. John is also a trained and experienced supervisor of spiritual directors.
Chris Gardner - Email - 0429 995 591
Chris Gardner has been involved with Ignatian Spirituality for thirty-five years and was trained at an Arrupe Program in 2006-7 in WA in being a spiritual companion. Chris can accompany people through the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola, Annotations 19 and Retreats in Daily Life, Annotations 18 . He also is available to accompany people through their spiritual journey. Chris can draw on the Guidance of the Holy Spirit and his training both as a Spiritual Companion and Social Worker. He also has a background in Catholic Religious Education in which he studied theology. Chris keeps up contemporary spiritual reading and is interested in artistic representation of the spiritual journey.
Sr Mary Therese Ryder - Email -available for spiritual companioning in Ignatian method and others approaches. No longer offers 30 day Retreat either in daily life or as an entity in itself.