Group Spiritual Direction

With Pat Latshaw

Group spiritual direction this fall

Two sessions are available;
Tuesdays at 10 AM | Beginning September 19th
Thursdays at 5:30 PM | Beginning September 21st

Within each of us lies the desire to find meaning beyond the moment…to discover our true selves…to find a deeper connection with God and others. Sound familiar? Group spiritual direction with Pat Latshaw might be just what you are looking for.

Throughout the six-week sessions, you will be encouraged to reflect deeply on the experiences of daily living.  Through contemplation, you will gradually begin to recognize how God is truly with you every day and everywhere. You will discover that God has, in fact, been waiting for you to desire this closer relationship with him.

Not unlike individual spiritual direction, group spiritual direction undertakes some of the same exercises as the individual version, but in a small, intimate setting with just a few other people. Depending upon interest, more than one group can be formed in order to keep groups intentionally small. The cost is $125 for six sessions. Scholarships are available.

Click here to register.

Registration deadline: Sunday, September 17th

Have questions about group spiritual direction? Click here to email Pat Latshaw.

Click here to register

About Pat Latshaw

Pat served as a principal in the Hempfield School District until her retirement in 2006. She holds a M.Ed from Penn State, an EdD in Educational Leadership from Temple University, and a MA in Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction from Chestnut Hill College.

She has served as a spiritual director since 2003 and as a guest director at the Jesuit Center of Spirituality since 2005. She has a private practice at home where she listens as others share their everyday experiences. Her intent is to guide people to see the Divine in all things and to do everything for the greater honor and glory of God.

She lives in East Hempfield with her husband Ward. They have two adult children who live out of state. She enjoys reading, walking and playing duplicate bridge. She has been a member of Saint James since 2019.

The Urban Well is a registered trademark of Saint James Episcopal Church.

Gifts of spiritual direction

Spiritual direction can have many benefits. These may include enabling you to:

  • Identify and trust your own experiences of God.
  • Integrate spirituality into your daily life.
  • Discern and make difficult choices.
  • Share your hopes, struggles and losses in the context of strengthening your faith.
  • Develop a sensitivity for justice and empathy for others
  • Live the essence of your religious affiliation with integrity

What does a spiritual director do?

A spiritual director is one who sits with and listens to your story and experience with the expressed purpose of discerning, with the help of the Holy Spirit, where God might be moving and speaking in your life. Spiritual direction can be a beneficial process for you if you desire to deepen your awareness of God in your life – in the profound experiences, mundane activities, suffering, transitions, and disillusioned aspects of life and faith. Your spiritual direction session may include some exploration of different spiritual practices that may help you increase your intimacy with God.

Spiritual direction is:

  • An ancient practice in Christianity dating back to the Desert Mothers and Fathers.
  • A spiritual process in which you are invited to notice, savor, and deepen your ability to listen to God’s direction for your life.
  • A personal relationship characterized by a foundation of mutual trust, respect, warmth, genuine care, honesty, and openness
  • A contemplative, confidential relationship grounded in God-centered, mutual listening to the unique spiritual unfolding in all aspects of your life.

Spiritual direction is not:

  • Psychotherapy
  • Counseling
  • Theological teaching

About Ignatian Spirituality

Ignatian spirituality is a spirituality for everyday life. It insists that God is present in our world and active in our lives. It is a pathway to deeper prayer, good decisions guided by keen discernment, and an active life of service to others.