SpiritSite provides parish mission, retreat opportunities
By Roberta Ward

Father Kevin Joyce, who has recently completed several years as pastor of St. Maria Goretti Parish in San José, is now Director of SpiritSite, a new Catholic spirituality center sponsored by the Diocese of San Jose.

Father Joyce and his staff will offer weekend parish missions, weekly spiritual life seminars, weekend retreats, and individual and group spiritual direction.

A native of the East Bay, Father Joyce was ordained in 1980 after attending local seminaries, studying theology at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park.

He has been interested in both Christian and non-Christian spirituality since he was in college and earned a doctorate in spirituality from Catholic University of America in 1988.

“I read voraciously for three years and concentrated on the spiritual masters and mystics in the Church. It was transformational for me,” he said.

He is interested in the practice of the “Jesus Prayer,” from the ancient Church, and has found some enthusiasm among local Catholics for contemplative prayer and meditation.

“This is a part of our Catholic tradition that not many Catholics are familiar with,” he said, “and I have seen people respond enthusiastically when they are exposed to it.”

“People are searching for a deeper spiritual life,” Father Joyce said. The Jesus Prayer, for example, allows for “a deep spiritual experience and intimacy with Jesus. We let Him transform us.

“This supports and compliments the Church’s liturgical life and allows people to experience a richer liturgical celebration because they become more attuned to themselves and the Holy Spirit,” he said.

During his sabbatical in 2000, Father Joyce reflected on his future goals in ministry and felt “a strong pull toward the work of making the great tradition of Christian spirituality more known.” Having implemented some of his ideas while serving as pastor, Father Joyce began to see the impact in people’s lives as well as in parish life.

He developed the proposal for SpiritSite and it was accepted by Bishop McGrath. SpiritSite is headquartered at St. Clare Church in Santa Clara which provides office facilities and space for seminars. Kate McNichols is administrator.

For the last two and half years Father Joyce has worked with an advisory team of some 10 people including Elaine and Joe Swyt, Will Sousae and Jim Degman, of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, along with Terrie Iacino, Episcopal Director of the diocesan Office of Pastoral Ministry, and others who have volunteered their time to help with planning.  Elaine Swyt serves as webmaster and SpiritSite may be visited at www.SpiritSite.org.

“Without the advisory team, Father Joyce said, “There would be no SpiritSite. I am indebted to these people for all their advice and efforts. They have played an important role in our communications and in fund-raising.”

Father Joyce describes SpiritSite’s offerings as an enhancement of what parishes already provide and what they may not have the time or resources to provide.

“Parish ministers and parishioners often express a desire for a deeper prayer life,” he said, “as well as for spiritual guidance. SpiritSite focuses on providing services directly to parishes based on the teachings and practices of the great spiritual masters of the East and West.”

There will be instruction in contemplative prayer, Father Joyce explained, as well as an “understanding of our rich spiritual tradition gifted to us by the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and Ignatius of Loyola.

“There will be discernment space for those considering ministry as a vocation and we will provide spiritual direction to help individuals embrace the pilgrim’s questions: Who is God for me? Who am I to God?”

Father Joyce and his staff will bring SpiritSite to parishes, schools and to home-based faith-sharing groups. Some weekend retreats will be held at Presentation Center in Los Gatos where Father Joyce serves as chaplain.

Parish missions will consist of a series of four seminars over four weeks and will be offered in English and Spanish and will “be designed for busy people,” Father Joyce said, “who endeavor to put God and their spiritual journey first in their lives. We teach the ways of prayer and meditation toward deeper intimacy with God.

“This also combats stress and counteracts unhealthy habits and addictions,” he said. “There is a demand for this because people are living such hectic lives. We will also focus on the 12-step process which addresses addiction. This process finds strong spiritual support in Catholic tradition, especially in the teachings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the third and fourth centuries.”

Father Joyce summarized “eight habits and cravings” which can become addictions – food, sex, things, anger, depression, spiritual laziness, vainglory and pride.

“We can learn how to redirect these cravings into healthier channels so that all our psychic energy can be directed to total love, which is only found in God,” he said.

“We seek detachment and freedom of spirit, so that we are not controlled by our habits. Our goal is to be controlled only by the Holy Spirit, to be ‘under the influence’ of the Holy Spirit.”

Father Joyce points out that the Institute for Leadership in Ministry (ILM) provides a third year specialization in spirituality which is available to non-ILM students. He has designed that course and teaches as well.

SpiritSite is funded by donations and fees and by free-will offerings from people who participate in its courses and seminars. In the future, it may be partially funded by an endowment to be established through a diocesan capital campaign.

For more information see www.SpiritSite.org; e-mail for general information, info@spiritsite.org; Father Joyce, frkevin@spiritsite.org; mail to 807 Washington St., Santa Clara, CA 95050; or call (408) 227-1137.