Walking with a seeker

Author Brian O’Leary SJ, and Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, have produced and filmed a series of six role plays to illustrate frequently asked questions within spiritual direction/accompaniment. Both are qualified spiritual directors themselves but in these videos only Brian acts in the role of spiritual director/accompanier, while Pat (Ann) improvises the role of someone wondering if spiritual accompaniment might be of help to her at his stage in her life.

Fr Brian and Pat recorded the sessions over a period of two months. There was no script involved on either side. As Pat (Ann) improvised her role as someone exploring how spiritual accompaniment works and might develop, Brian never knew what she was going to share with him in any session. Pat would also say that in inhabiting the role and persona of Ann she also felt a certain authenticity in what unfolded at each meeting.

These videos were not meant to be demonstrations of best practice in spiritual accompaniment. Rather they were conceived as an innovative way of illustrating and addressing questions that often arise in the experience of spiritual directors.

Each session in the video is a stand alone but they are best watched in sequence. Enjoy!