What is a spiritual advisor?

[Lost_Sheep]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but what is a spiritual advisor? (I've seen this mentioned in a post) Who needs one and why?

Also, what is a confessor? (I've seen this mentioned in a different post)

Thanks!

 

[FullyMT]

A spiritual advisor (or spiritual director...same thing) is a person whether a priest/religious/lay who has been trained to help guide someone in their spiritual journey. They offer the advisee advice and answer questions they may have while they travel through life's ups and downs. They can help one in their discernment, give them ideas to help them pray, let them know when they may need to look out for certain temptations, find common threads in sins they may be comitting, and well...yeah. To make it s hort, they give you spiritual advice.

A confessor is any priest who hears a confession. It is advised that most people find one priest that they will try to go to confession with regularly so that the priest can help them more (usually a person will make appointments with their confessors so that the priest doesn't feel rushed due to a line). Your confessor *could* be your spiritual director too, but that's not always the case

 

[Metanoia02]

A spiritual advisor will assit you in living out the fullness of the Christian life. They can suggest for you spiritual practices that have been beneficial thoughout the centuries to assist in spiritual growth. They may suggest certain reading that might be helpful.

A confessor is just what it implies. A person that hear your confession. They too might offer suggestion to combat the specific problems you mentioned in you confession.

Often they are the same person, but they don't need to be. A confessor for Catholics must be a priest. A spiritual advisor can be a trained layperson. I have the same person for both.

But to be clear these are two distinct practices that should be keep separate in ones mind. One is a Sacrament, the other is spiritual advice.

 

[Kusanagi]

I had been wondering about that, and thanks for the answers provided .

Now my question comes to mind is how does one obtain a spiritual advisor?

 

[FullyMT]

Ask a priest if he could be yours or if he can help you find one