Introduction

I think it is necessary to put well into focus the content and the special angle of our meeting. Ours, in fact, is not meant to be a simple conference on spiritual direction (SD), but a reflection, if anything, on that journey of and in the Spirit which obviously embraces all of life. It begins during the period of initial formation for consecrated life (CL), at the time when the person allows him/herself to be educated-formed-accompanied by an older brother/sister along the ways of the Spirit, to understand where God is leading the person (therefore his own truth), whatever in him/her is opposed to the invitation of God, and reach making a free and responsible choice.

That organized experience ought to put the persons themselves in a position of continuing their education-formation-accompaniment for their entire life, freeing them from whatever in them “does not want” to (or cannot) let themselves be educated, or from their indisposition to formation, or from a fear of letting themselves be accompanied (the non-docibilitas, or indocibilitas). Above all, it ought to permit them to accept, ideally, all the educational-formative mediations of their life for always, as a daily and precious occasion for growth.  It is especially this link that interests us, not so much to talk about SD in itself. A link that is the central, and weak, point of ongoing formation. (OF)

So let us begin with clarifying the authentic concept of OF, should there be a need.