By Fr. Francis Ronachai Mathavabhandhtu
Hua Hin, Thailand, April 8, 2016
As young Salesian you were looking for some specific spiritual direction formation.
I like to watch soccer game and some other sports. One thing that I like is the couching of the head couch beside the field. As player in the field you see only one dimension which is situation in the game. But the Head couch beside the field is the one who see everything and keep telling players to perform in a right way. This metaphor helps me to see that as a young Salesian who is still in formation, or even work in a mission for a long time by having spiritual director is a very useful way. In my experience in every step of my decision asking for the spiritual direction help me a lot. That is because the guidance and some words that I heard tell me God’s will and make me confidence that everything I do is in the right track.
As newly ordained Salesian priest do you feel confident to offer the service of spiritual direction or strong need to be more or better prepared? Any concrete steps?
In my opinion spiritual director is a special role, that needs preparation. In my mission I give direction to a lot of young people in the formation that I can say that I have confident to do that. But in the higher level I still need more preparation. That might be some courses that help formators to understand psychology and spirituality so that they can confidently offer spiritual direction service to others.
In a typical Salesian environment the community and personal spiritual direction goes together. How it was/is for you?
In theory this has to be together but in real life only the formal spiritual direction that I got is from the sacrament of reconciliation. But any other occasion of spiritual direction is like talking to a spiritual director as a friend in relax environment. I think that help me lot.
How is the passage from the formation house to the first full apostolic experience in the Hua Hin?
Working in the formation house make me see that to help young people in the Salesian vocation journey is not easy. I need to understand their psychology and the way to talk to them and help them understand Salesian vocation. I feel that the quote that I heard “To teach others you have to know well the thing that you teach,” this quote is so true. I need to learn a lot from others who has experience in the field of formation, so that I can help persons in formation their spiritual direction.
Any advice to the young Salesians or candidates to the Salesian consecrated life like your Aspirants?
A keyword to the candidates and Salesians in formation is “accompaniment.” This means that to journey on the way of Salesian’s vocation one big important issue that one need to keep in mind is you are not walking alone. All Salesians have the same destination that we need to reach that is eternal life. To complete this journey one needs someone to walk along with you, helping you to see a clearer way and walk confidently. Spiritual director has a special role that help you to walk confidently, so please keep in mind that Spiritual direction is a key of formation, a person who walk along with you in your vocation; accompany you to the destination.
