Conference of Spiritual Directors Australia

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Conference of Spiritual Directors Australia

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CSD Australia is a professional association of spiritual directors committed to a contemplative approach in the ministry of spiritual direction. Who are we?

What is spiritual direction? Spiritual direction describes the conversation one believer has with another about their life in the light of their faith. Spiritual direction is a conversation in which the director helps the person to notice the action of God in their ordinary experiences of life: to stop, look and listen to the movement of God in their heart and in their lived experience. As the person responds with greater awareness to this personally-communicating God, the relationship deepens and the capacity to live out with greater freedom the consequences of the relationship grows. The consequences of the relationship changes the person and so impacts on all their relationships: with self, with others, and with God. At CSD Australia, we believe that it is in ordinary human experience that God is revealed. The focus of this kind of spiritual direction practised by members of CSD is clearly on experience rather than ideas, and especially that dimension of experience that evokes the presence of the mysterious Other whom we call God. CSD Australia is a professional not-for-profit association of spiritual directors committed to a contemplative approach in the ministry of spiritual direction. Our members include spiritual directors who have graduated from spiritual direction formation courses that share the same contemplative spirit and philosophy. We welcome spiritual directors of all beliefs who share our contemplative approach to spiritual direction. Currently about half of our membership are single or married women and men; and about half are members of religious congregations or men and women who are priests. CSD Australia supports Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction (AECSD) which is a council that serves the spiritual direction community in Australia. CSD Australia is one of three national spiritual direction associations that look to AECSD as the body that sets out standards and guidelines for the formation of spiritual directors and their ethical practice. Our beginnings date back to 1986. Its inspiration came initially from courses conducted by the Centre for Religious Development (CRD) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

15/10/2026

This Freebie Friday, we’re sharing Erromeria, a free self-guided online pilgrimage offered by Jesuit and Ignatian Spirituality Australia (JISA).

Erromeria invites you to walk alongside St Ignatius of Loyola, immersing yourself in the story of his pilgrimage and allowing his experiences to meet your own. It was created by JISA’s spiritual directors and retreat givers to mark the Ignatian Year, celebrating 500 years since Ignatius’s conversion.

You can engage with the material as a silent retreat over several days, or spread it across a few weeks of daily life, at whatever pace suits you. It’s available online all year round, free of charge.

Begin the pilgrimage here: https://jisa.org.au/retreat/erromeria-self-guided-online-pilgrimage/

13/10/2026

This Wednesday Wondering, we sit with the words of Rainer Maria Rilke. Rilke wrote this in a letter to a young poet seeking guidance. In spiritual direction, we often find that the questions we carry are not problems to be solved but invitations to listen more deeply. Answers may come in their own time. This week, we invite you to wonder: what question are you living with right now, and how might you hold it with patience rather than urgency?

11/10/2026

Meet Gerald, whose journey into spiritual direction began in 1987 when he first experienced spiritual direction himself.

Years later, encouragement from fellow directors led him to undertake formation in Newcastle. Today, Gerald accompanies people from across the Hunter Valley, offering both face-to-face and online sessions, including opportunities to connect with people in rural communities. Gerald values the fellowship within the spiritual direction community and looks forward to continuing to deepen these relationships. Learn more about Gerald, here: https://csdaustralia.com/gerard-goldman/

08/10/2026

This Freebie Friday, we're sharing Imagining Prayer, a free collection of guided sessions from Pray As You Go, produced by the Jesuits in Britain.
Imaginative contemplation is a centuries-old way of praying with scripture. Rather than reading a Gospel passage from a distance, you are invited to step into the scene and come close to Christ through your senses, noticing what you might see, hear, touch, taste or smell.

Disclaimer:
Freebie Fridays highlights free events, courses, resources and other opportunities that we believe may be useful or of interest to our community.
The resources and events featured are provided by third-party organisations and individuals. CSD Australia is not affiliated with, responsible for, or the owner of the content or events shared, unless otherwise stated. We share these resources for informational purposes and encourage you to review the relevant provider’s information before participating.
All intellectual property and rights relating to the featured content and events remain with their respective authors, creators and organisers.

06/10/2026

This Wednesday Wondering, we sit with the words of Viktor Frankl. Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, came to believe that our deepest longing is for meaning. In spiritual direction, we often see that meaning is not handed to us whole, but discovered slowly, in the quiet spaces where the sacred makes itself known.

This week, we invite you to wonder: where are you searching for meaning in this season of your life?

01/10/2026

What does it mean to be a truly multicultural church? This Freebie Friday, discover a free short course from Trinity College Queensland which explores the place of culture and diversity in Christian community, and what it might mean for the future of the church.

Wednesday 7 October
11am–1pm
Online or in person

Learn more about it here: https://www.trinity.qld.edu.au/event/short-course-a-multicultural-church-rev-malcolm-scanlan/

Disclaimer:
Freebie Fridays highlights free events, courses, resources and other opportunities that we believe may be useful or of interest to our community.
The resources and events featured are provided by third-party organisations and individuals. CSD Australia is not affiliated with, responsible for, or the owner of the content or events shared, unless otherwise stated. We share these resources for informational purposes and encourage you to review the relevant provider’s information before participating.
All intellectual property and rights relating to the featured content and events remain with their respective authors, creators and organisers.

29/09/2026

This Wednesday Wondering, we reflect on the words of Saint Augustine, a theologian and philosopher whose writings explored the human search for meaning, belonging and God. We can spend so much of our lives searching for something to satisfy us. Yet sometimes, our restlessness may be inviting us to look a little deeper.

27/09/2026

This Member Monday, Meet Denise, a Sister of Saint Joseph whose ministry includes spiritual direction, supervision and retreat giving. Her ministry has taken her from Catholic education to retreats in Timor-Leste, and from the Kimberleys to North Queensland. She has a particular concern for Indigenous communities, refugees and asylum seekers, and those living at the edges of society.
We’re grateful for the wisdom and experience she brings to her ministry. Learn more about her here: https://csdaustralia.com/denise-brosnan/

24/09/2026

Looking for an Australian perspective on Catholic faith and culture? This Freebie Friday, we present Catholics of Oz, a Melbourne-based podcast that brings together Catholic voices to chat about faith, culture, current issues and everything in between. A great listen for anyone interested in how Catholicism intersects with everyday Australian life. Listen to it on the Cath Events website here: https://cathevents.org.au/catholics-of-oz/

22/09/2026

This Wednesday Wondering, we reflect on the words of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. We can spend so much time trying to understand the world and the people around us. But what might happen when we turn that attention inward? What might you discover by becoming more curious about yourself?

Address

CSD Australia P O Box 171
Melbourne, VIC
3127

Telephone

+61434887673

Website

http://www.csdaustralia.com/

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