Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida, USA

There are various programs for the training of spiritual directors. The following program is offered through the School of Mary, which specializes in spiritual formation in response to the universal call to holiness. The School of Mary is faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church and operates with ecclesial approval. This program is: 

  • Intended for the formation of spiritual directors to serve diaconal aspirants/candidates who are preparing for ordination in 2030 and, beyond that, the faithful of the diocese of St. Augustine (parishioners, retreatants and others) and elsewhere. 
  • Intended for priests, deacons, religious and lay persons who already have a vibrant spiritual life but who desire to go deeper themselves and who sense a call to assist others as spiritual directors. As one consideration of discernment for this program – and as an indication of the seriousness of the spiritual director’s task – individuals should be prepared to commit over time and incrementally to at least two hours of prayer a day in addition to any other current prayer commitments like Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, etc. With the grace of God, and working at a human pace, the specific prayer forms demanding such time (Lectio Divina and Prayer of the Heart) are expected to become integrated into one’s daily routine. 
  • Intended for both experienced directors and those who are receiving formation in the ministry of spiritual direction for the first time; both groups can expect to benefit immensely from this formation program. 
  • Combines in-person courses, online courses (live and pre-recorded), group check-ins and individual supervision/mentoring. Individual assistance is determined on a person-by-person basis taking into account previous training, experience and emerging questions. 
  • Is a two year program. Successful completion of the program, along with the affirmative discernment of one’s call to the ministry of spiritual direction, culminates in a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the School of Mary. 
  • Is divided into Year 1 courses taken before starting to serve as a spiritual director and Year 2 courses which are taken concurrently while beginning to serve as a spiritual director. (Those already serving as spiritual directors may continue offering direction during Year 1.) 

Formative Courses

The courses are described as “formative” to indicate that they are not simply academic, but entail other elements: first, the participant’s prayer and then other elements like group check-ins and individual supervision. There is very little or no traditional “homework.” Case studies and facilitated conversations to help individuals and the team discern one’s readiness to serve as a spiritual director can be expected toward the end of year 1 and beyond. The following outline of courses is subject to slight change (for example, a course identified as online pre-recorded may shift to online live). 

 Key: Green = in-person; Blue = online (live); Red = online (pre-recorded)

Year 1

– Solid Foundations in Spiritual Life (8 days/6 hours each day) 

– Lectio Divina 1 (3 days/6 hours each day)

– Ensuring Steady Growth (3 days/6 hours each day)

– Introduction to Spiritual Direction I (3 days/6 hours each day) 

Year 2

– Deeper Purification (8 days/6 hours each day) 

– Spiritual Direction II (3 days/6 hours each day)

– Reading & Studying St. John of the Cross (This long course is highly recommended for ongoing formation during or after the above coursework but is not mandatory for beginning the ministry of spiritual direction).

Costs of Program Per Student

  • $50 USD per course day. For example, a course composed of 3 days = $150. 
  • Total cost of courses for the entire program = $1,400 (28 course days x $50). 
  • Additional costs = $300 per year (administrative, instructor travel, retreat costs, etc.) = $600 total for two-year program. 
  • Total cost of two-year program $2,000, not including books, personal travel and meals for in-person days.  
  • The School of Mary runs on a slim margin and yet will not turn away students in financial need. We invite students who may be able to give more than these modest costs to consider giving more, and we invite those with financial barriers to request assistance from The School of Mary team. 

Location and Schedule 

Our target date for the program’s schedule, which will be added to this website, is the first week of July, 2024. By then, we hope to have a good sense of the number of participants. We intend to begin the first course, Solid Foundations in Spiritual Life (in-person), in September, 2024. In-person courses will be held at Bishop Snyder High School on designated Saturdays starting at 8 am and ending by 2:30 or 3 pm so that those with Saturday afternoon liturgical commitments can attend to these. 

Next Steps

Please email Deacon Steve Arnold with any program questions: dcnstephenarnold@schoolofmary.org

Please email Lisa McGowan to sign up for a virtual information session, after which you may request a program application:  LisaMcGowan@schoolofmary.org

Link for the zoom, 18th May 2025: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85364362731?pwd=Ux43mEgDWS7XwQDYOEBs6zlOjQBqaL.1