Ongoing formation for spiritual directors is essential because the work of accompanying souls requires continual conversion, humility, and growth. In the Catholic tradition, the spiritual director participates in the Church’s mission of guiding persons toward deeper union with Christ, helping them discern the movements of grace and respond faithfully to the Holy Spirit. Because the interior life unfolds across a lifetime and the challenges facing the faithful continue to evolve, spiritual directors themselves must remain lifelong students of prayer, theology, and the wisdom of the Church. Continued formation deepens their attentiveness to God’s action, strengthens their fidelity to the Church’s teaching, and refines the pastoral prudence needed to accompany others with charity and clarity.

At the Altum Institute, we are profoundly grateful for the generous service of those who offer themselves in this ministry of accompaniment. Spiritual directors quietly sustain the life of the Church by walking with individuals through moments of discernment, struggle, and transformation. Our passion for ongoing formation flows from a desire to support and strengthen these servants of the Gospel—ensuring they are nourished intellectually, spiritually, and communally. Through continued learning, prayer, and fraternity, directors are renewed in their vocation and better equipped to guide others toward the fullness of life in Christ. In this spirit of gratitude and mission, we invite spiritual directors to continue growing with us, trusting that as we ourselves remain attentive to the Lord’s formation, we become ever more faithful instruments of His grace for the people we serve.

In the Catholic Church, spiritual direction is not merely a private ministry but one that participates in the Church’s pastoral care of souls. Because of this, the bishop—who bears primary responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the faithful in his diocese—has the duty to ensure that those who serve as spiritual directors are properly formed, faithful to the teaching of the Church, and equipped to accompany others with wisdom and prudence. Spiritual directors often assist people in matters of conscience, discernment of vocation, and the deep movements of the spiritual life; therefore, the Church rightly desires that those entrusted with this responsibility be well prepared and accountable within the life of the local Church.

For this reason, the bishop establishes requirements and expectations for those serving in this ministry within the archdiocese. These guidelines help ensure sound theological formation, fidelity to the Church’s spiritual tradition, and a consistent pastoral approach rooted in the Gospel. They also foster unity and trust within the diocesan community, assuring the faithful that those who accompany them are doing so in harmony with the Church and under the shepherding care of the bishop. In this way, the bishop’s requirements are not merely administrative but pastoral—meant to safeguard the integrity of the ministry and to support spiritual directors in serving the people of God with wisdom, humility, and fidelity.

Every Spiritual Director in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City must be a practical catholic with suitable training in the art of spiritual direction and living out of a call to serve the church in this capacity. After signing the mandatum, he or she must be compliant with Safe Environment policy and gain pastoral recommendation annually from their local pastor. Finally, he or she must attend one ongoing formation session throughout the year and fill out the Spiritual Direction survey every December.