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Discernment 

Discernment is not simply making decisions—it is learning to recognize God's presence and invitation in every part of life. Campus Ministers are here to listen to, pray with, and help you find clarity amid the sometimes overwhelming and unknown parts of life. We are here to help you navigate questions of vocation, relationships, purpose, faith, and other major life decisions.

Explore discernment support:

Some key Discernment questions you may be pondering:

  • What is God calling me to?

  • Why is prayer important and how does it fit into my life?

  • Am I called to marriage, religious life, priesthood, or generous single life?

  • Am I on the right career path?

  • How do I know if I am in the right relationship?

  • How do I find someone to walk with me spiritually?

Accompaniment

Discernment is not meant to be a solitary journey. Throughout Scripture and the life of the Church, God often speaks through prayer, trusted relationships, and wise companions who help us recognize the movements of the Holy Spirit. Whether you are discerning a vocation, making an important decision, or simply seeking greater clarity about where God is leading you, accompaniment offers a space to listen, reflect, ask honest questions, and grow in freedom. Campus Ministry is committed to walking with you as you seek to discover and respond to God’s call with confidence and hope. Three particular ways we are here to accompany you:

Spiritual Direction

Spiritual Direction is a conversation with an experienced guide about one’s spiritual journey, relationship with God, prayer, and the integration of faith into one’s life. Our guides aim to help you become more aware of God’s presence and invitation in your life. 

If you want to

  • have a deeper relationship with God
  • develop your prayer life
  • discern a decision
  • explore a vocational call
  • or if you are simply looking for guidance in your faith life or spiritual journey regardless of where you are on that path

…spiritual direction may be for you!

These sessions normally last an hour and meet every three to four weeks, but length and frequency are determined by you and your spiritual director. Spiritual Direction is open to all students, faculty, and staff regardless of church affiliation or faith tradition.

Finding the “right” Spiritual Director is an important part of the Spiritual Direction process. Here are some suggestions to help you with your search:

  1. Ask yourself what needs the most attention in your spiritual life right now: prayer life, relationship with God, vocational discernment, relationships, family issues, integrating faith into your daily life, and so on?

  2. Next, who do you prefer to talk with: A priest? A sister? A layperson?
  3. Then, look over our list of spiritual directors, read through their biographies, and see who is a potential good “fit” for you.
  4. If you need assistance finding a spiritual director, please contact Mike Urbaniak. Or, you may also choose one, two, or more directors to email directly and set up an initial meeting. They will not be surprised to receive your email! And just because you reach out to them does not mean you have to choose them. When you meet them, ask about their approach to spiritual direction (each director brings his or her own unique style and method to direction). They will also ask you questions about what you are looking for and get to know you better as well.
  5. After you meet the directors, choose one and set up your first OFFICIAL spiritual direction meeting. Sometimes it takes a little while to feel totally comfortable with one another. Good relationships take time and the building of trust so be patient. It will be worth it.

Directory of Spiritual Directors for Students

Directory of Spiritual Directors for Faculty and Staff

Spiritual Coaching

Spiritual Coaching is like having a personal trainer for your spiritual life. The goal is to grow in your relationship with God. You will meet one-on-one with a campus minister four times over the course of the semester for 45-minute sessions to talk about prayer and the role prayer plays in your life. This can help you form good spiritual habits by having someone to help you with accountability. If you're newer to prayer, this is a great opportunity to practice with guidance. Students of all faith traditions are welcome to sign up.

Sign up here for Spiritual CoachingSpiritual Coaching FlyerRequest a time to chat

Contact

Mike Urbaniak, Assistant Director of Pastoral Care, murbania@nd.edu

Need to Talk

If you need to talk about anxieties, challenges, opportunities for hope, your spiritual journey, thoughts about vocation and anything else that might be on your mind and heart. Through this ministry, Campus Ministry is here for you. We are always happy to listen, offer guidance, and share the wisdom and hope our faith provides.

Drop by our open office hours:

Monday to Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., during the academic year, in room 113 of the Coleman-Morse Center, located in the middle of the first floor next to the fountain. A different member of our Campus Ministry staff will be available each night. 

Request a time to chat

Some topics that are often brought up at Need to Talk:

  • relationships 
  • faith journey
  • loss of a loved one
  • career/vocation discernment
  • homesickness
  • forming good habits
  • how to pray
  • pornography 
  • balance of work and social life
  • Church teachings
  • sexual orientation 

There are numerous opportunities for students to reach out to speak with a campus minister:

  • Drop by open office hours.
  • Complete this form and a campus minister will reach out to you.
  • Contact Mike Urbaniak at murbania@nd.edu or 574-631-8508 to schedule a time up a phone call or Zoom meeting.

Vocations

Vocation is not simply about choosing a path. It is about learning to recognize God's invitation in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of our lives. Through prayer, reflection, and a willingness to listen, we begin to understand how God is calling us to love and live with purpose. Discernment is a journey, not a one-time decision, and you don't have to navigate its questions alone. Wherever you find yourself in the journey, there are many ways to begin exploring God’s call in your life:

Religious Life

Religious life is a unique vocation that invites people to follow Christ through prayer, community and service. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether God might be calling you to this way of life, know that discernment begins not with having all the answers, but with being open to listening to God’s voice and asking honest questions. Some ways to pursue your interest:

Women’s Vocations

We would love to accompany you at any point of your journey as you discern a possible call to religious life! Some of the ways we could walk with you are below.

  • Talk to a Campus Ministry about your discernment process.

  • Meet with a Spiritual Director to help you listen more fully to God’s voice in your life.

  • Reach out about our resources about various women’s religious communities and their respective retreat opportunities.

  • Participate in our Women’s Discernment events and offerings:

    • Faith-sharing group conversations

Join us for discussions built around books and podcasts that cultivate a spirit of discernment around our vocations as women. In the fall semester, we will meet to discuss Caryll Houselander’s book The Reed of God, and in the spring semester, we will unpack the Abiding Together Podcast’s four-part series on The Identity of a Woman.

  • Meal and conversation with Sisters

Come meet some sisters and hear about their particular communities as well as listen to them share their own vocation stories!

Our first one is dinner on Tuesday, October 27th in Coleman-Morse Lounge at 6pm with the Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration.

  • Want to learn more? Feel free to check out these resources!

For more information about any of these opportunities, please contact Elizabeth Tomasek, Assistant Director of Pastoral Outreach at estroude@nd.edu.

Men’s Vocations

Feeling called to priesthood or religious life? Please check out the following resources:

Congregation of Holy Cross

General Religious Resources

Contact

Fr. Drew Clary, CSC, Director of Vocations, dclary@holycrossusa.org

Marriage and Family Life

Marriage and family life are a beautiful vocation through which many people are called to know, love, and serve God. Discernment of this vocation begins long before engagement—it starts with growing in faith, learning to love well, and becoming the person God is calling you to be. Whether you’re reflecting on dating, considering a lifelong commitment, preparing for engagement, or seeking resources for marriage preparation, Campus Ministry is here to accompany you as you prayerfully discern God’s call to a life of faithful companionship.

More Information on Marriage Prep

Contact

Suzy Younger, Marriage Prep Coordinator, syounger@nd.edu

Discerning a Relationship

Relationships shape who we are and who we are becoming. Whether you’re navigating friendships, dating, family dynamics, roommate challenges, loneliness, conflict, or questions about vocation and commitment, you don’t have to sort through it alone. Campus ministers are available to listen without judgment, offer practical guidance grounded in faith, and help you discern faithful, healthy next steps through conversation and prayer.

Contact

Mike Urbaniak, Assistant Director of Pastoral Care, murbania@nd.edu

Career Discernment

Career discernment is an intentional process of discovering how your interests, strengths, values, and experiences can shape a meaningful career path and follow God’s call in your life. As you explore possibilities, take time to reflect on what energizes you, what you do well, and what matters most to you. Seek experiences that help you learn—through courses, internships, research, service, conversations with professionals, and mentorship. Remember that career discernment is an ongoing process; your goals and interests may develop as you gain new experiences and insights.

Guiding Questions

  • What activities, subjects, or experiences energize and engage me?

  • What are my strengths, skills, and talents?

  • What values are most important to me in my work?

  • How can I best serve God and make an impact on the world?

Career discernment is not about finding one perfect answer. It is about developing greater self-awareness, exploring possibilities, and taking thoughtful steps toward work that is meaningful and aligned with your values.

Contact

Mike Urbaniak, Assistant Director of Pastoral Care, murbania@nd.edu

Elizabeth Tomasek, Assistant Director of Pastoral Outreach, estroude@nd.edu

 

Resources

There are a variety of resources and discernment tools available to assist you on your faith journey:

Prayer

Prayer is an essential part of discernment. It carves out space for God to enter into our hearts. It helps us become more aware of God’s presence and the ways that God shows up in our lives. It is our communication with God hence there are many ways to pray. Here we have guides for a few.

Useful Discernment Tools

Here are some practical tools that you can use as you contemplate a particular decision, no matter how big or small it is!