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So far jdefensor has created 8 blog entries.

2023 National Assembly Presidential Address

2023-08-17T14:40:08+00:00Aug 15, 2023|Categories: Art & Essays|

Review for Religious is pleased to publish a copy of the Very Rev. Jeffrey Kirch, CPPS's Presidential Address to the 2023 Assembly of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. In his address, Fr. Kirch contextualizes some of the major issues male religious are facing today, hones in on charism as [...]

Navigating Polarization as Leaders: A Resource List

2023-08-01T21:49:43+00:00Aug 1, 2023|Categories: Art & Essays|

In this essay, Fr. Aaron Wessman, GHM provides a list of resources he has found especially useful in his research on polarization, contextualizing their content and where they may be especially helpful.  Click here to download a copy of the essay. Fr. Aaron Wessman, GHM, publishes on topics [...]

Two Essential Functional Features of Spiritual Direction

2023-07-27T13:08:38+00:00Jul 26, 2023|Categories: Art & Essays|

Spiritual direction training rarely attends to functional or practical features of the ministry. In this article, Fr. Kenneth Davis, OFM Conv. addresses two prominent functional features directors should attend to: the physical environment of the spiritual direction encounter and the use of files or documentation. Click here to download [...]

Religious Brothers Day 2023

2023-04-27T14:52:56+00:00Apr 27, 2023|Categories: In the News|

Celebrate the 7th Annual Religious Brothers Day with an online gathering on May 1, 2023 at 2pm ET. The Virtual Religious Brothers Day has been planned by the new co-chairs: Brother Andrew Kosmowski, SM, and Brother J.D. Macioce, FSC. Religious Brothers [...]

Jane de Chantal and Léonie Aviat: Women of Gentle Strength

2023-03-27T19:29:26+00:00Mar 27, 2023|Categories: Art & Essays|

In this article, Sr. Susan Louise Eder, OSFS explores the unlikely backstories that gave rise to two unique representations of Salesian spirituality. St. Jane Frances Frémyot de Chantal and St. Léonie Aviat, she argues, both represent in their personal stories the gentle strength at the center of the charism [...]

Evaluation of Spiritual Directors

2022-09-28T13:16:05+00:00Sep 28, 2022|Categories: Art & Essays|

Fr. Kenneth G. Davis, OFM Conv., discusses an evaluative question for spiritual directors: how do I know that I am doing what I think I am doing as a spiritual director? Suggesting that ongoing, formal evaluation is a helpful tool for spiritual directors to use, he offers a matrix [...]

Retirement: A New Version of the Identity Crisis?

2022-09-21T14:28:37+00:00Sep 20, 2022|Categories: Art & Essays|

This article makes the case for an elder identity crisis for religious associated with retirement. Heeding the call to an inner journey, religious typically deal with three movements of recognition:  pervasiveness of egocentrism, inaccurate self-knowledge, and factors limiting one’s inner freedom.  In asking the Holy Spirt to be guide [...]

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