Comments from members of Groups for Spiritual Direction:
- "This experience opened my heart, after feeling like I was in a desert.
Thank you. I experienced growth not only with God, also with those around me. I enjoyed each person here and sharing the journey together."
- "I received acceptance, joy and comfort. I felt accepted and I could share freely in this group setting. Through Annette, I felt Christ's love and gentleness. I enjoyed digging deeper with Scripture, and hearing from others."
- "Hearing from all the group members helped me to experience God. I liked the quiet time, and trusting that the Holy Spirit was really guiding and directing our group. I had the opportunity to see faith in action through others that were so different than me."
- "My relationship with God has deepened, and I felt blessed to be a part of this group. I liked the intimacy of the group, and Annette's gentleness in leading the group. It was a wonderful experience, more than I expected."
- "Being a part of the group helped give me a new awareness and reminders of others gifts in prayer. I love God even more. The group members were phenomenal, I am amazed! I like the silence, listening for, and discovering where God's direction takes us. The reflection materials were very good."
- "I have learned to be much more aware of God working in my life. I am more aware during my day of people, things, words, and thoughts that come my way, and how God may be trying to communicate to me through them. I love the camaraderie, the joy and peace that come with them, and the thoughts and questions that come after each session. I am becoming a more spiritual person, my prayer life is enlarging, and I am becoming more aware of what to pray for. I'm learning to share more easily."
- "This group filled a need for me to grow spiritually. I enjoyed the prayer together with the group members. The discussion during our group meetings was amazing. Thanks, it was great!"
- "I felt God's care for me through the group in a personal and unique way. God led us to Trust, and to Comfort each other on our spiritual journeys. I experienced a Grace filled time together with this group."
Comments from Week/Month of Guided Prayer retreatants:
- "I loved my prayer guide, Annette! Through everything she shares her love for the Lord."
- "Annette was prayerful, faithful and helpful to me this week. She has a gentle heart."
- "Annette gave me many good suggestions and prayers. I’d give her an A."
- "Annette was excellent."
- "Annette was very nice and helpful. I thought she did a great job, seems to really know Scripture."
- "I felt very comfortable with Annette . The readings and prayers that she brought were right on target."
- "What a blessing! Thank you for making this a rewarding week."
- "Thanks for being my Prayer Guide - you have a real gift of being able to lead people on their spiritual journey in a gentle but challenging way. Keep up your good work."
- "Annette, I just wanted to say thanks again for a very special retreat! My actions are more a prayer now than ever! Thanks for all your guidance and support."
- "Annette reminded me to listen to God's truth by encouraging what I secretly sensed. At first I wanted more structure, but gained great insight through listening to what caught my attention. Annette was always encouraging and I appreciated her calming presence, and the prayers she chose to lead and close our meetings."
- "Annette channels grace. In a quiet gentle way, she affirms the person, calls upon Tradition - widely, deeply in ways that are meaningful. She listens extraordinarily well, and reflects the Spirit expressing God's love. Annette pulls out what the Spirit guides her to say. She really prepares, prays and is open. In short a blessing!!!"
- "Annette was kind, accepting, welcoming, and a good listener. It could appear that she did or said little, but her quiet was so powerful. Annette listened and let me be me. She was accepting and helped me to realize that my prayer life is my relationship with God - that it is okay if something is not working, and that I can continue from where I am. It allowed me to try something new and revisit older techniques. The prayer poems, pictures - as well as Annette's quiet nature - all helped me feel the gentle love of our God."
- "Thank you for your spiritual direction this week and I appreciate your time and how you customized my focus for the week."
- "The hour seemed to go by so quickly. You made it so easy for me and were more help than you will ever know. I learned so much in our short time together, thank you."
- "It has been a terrific time for me. I really do appreciate your presence, your listening, your resources, and your commitment. Truly, the knowledge of the grace of God has flowed through you."
- "Thank you for creating a safe space, a protected space, and for not only listening, but hearing! You reminded me of gifts I had taken for granted and brought them back to my surface. New doors are now open! Godspeed and Thanks!"
- "I believe that God's hand was in this pairing. We shared the visual arts in a special way throughout the week. It was obvious and heart warming that Annette invested so much of her prayer, time and talents to meet my many needs. She is such a great listener and then she acted to meet me on so many levels."
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Affirmations
"Some of the qualities I have observed in Annette that make her a good Spiritual Director include... that she is prayerful, discerning, and a careful listener. Annette has a strong desire to help people grow in their relationship with God through her gentle presence. From what I have come to know about Annette, her strengths are many and especially that she has grown in her experience of offering spiritual direction since her graduation from Aquinas. Annette has offered expert direction in retreat settings, group spiritual direction, and individual spiritual direction sessions."
Father Harry Byrne, O.P. Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology
Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO
"Annette has many gifts in Spiritual Direction. One of her best, I believe, is affirmation. After speaking with her, you feel such warmth, and she enables you to see your worthiness through the eyes of God. She is helping me to find my voice."
Annie Karto
Catholic Singer/Song Writer
"Annette Sherwood is a gifted listener and spiritual counselor. The Lord works through her gentle spirit to bless and encourage those with whom she walks along the journey of life."
Matthew Baute
Catholic Singer/Song Writer
"I know Annette as someone who knows God, a gifted spiritual director and a holy friend to whom companioning others comes naturally. Annette radiates a quiet, contemplative, loving, listening presence. Spiritual direction is not something she does, but rather flows out of who she is."
Clarence Heller
Coordinator of Week/Month of Guided Prayer
Comments from Individual Spiritual Direction:
- "You are a good Spiritual Mother. I have desired an intimate relationship with the Lord for a long time, struggling on my own, trying to find my own way; never quite succeeding. With your help and by God's grace I believe I will get there."
- "I enjoy our sharing. I feel very comfortable with you. You have a calming peace about you."
- "Annette's calm and gentle ways have encouraged me to keep saying 'yes' to God's invitation to love. The result has been a steady growth in holiness and drawing closer to Christ; discovering who He wants me to be...rooted in prayer and the Sacraments. I find it helpful that Annette is a wife and mother like me, and I don't feel like she tries to force someone else's spirituality on me, but helps me to discover God's unique plan for myself. It makes me feel free: free to be honest, free to grow, free to 'be'."
- "I really appreciate all of your time, prayers, and how much you stay open so God can use you to say what I need to hear, you have truly been a blessing to me, so again, thank you!"
Comments from Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry:
- "I am very grateful to have Annette Sherwood in my life as my Spiritual Director. I first met Annette at a retreat at Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry in Vandalia, Illinois. When I first signed up for a meeting with Annette, I was impressed with her eyes which are quiet pools of peace. Her ability to listen and help open up hearts to God's messages and love, which was very comforting. Annette can help you to see in yourself what others see, the things that you can not. Her advice is heartfelt and her soothing voice helps to lower the walls that everyone has around their hearts and minds. The safety of speaking to an individual without fear of judgement is priceless. Annette is like a ray of sunshine in a world that sometimes seems like it is spinning out of control. A meeting with Annette is like a small child sitting at her feet leaning forward to catch every word that she speaks so that you do not miss any of her words or comforting thoughts. Annette helps you to grow in faith on your earthly spiritual journey and I am so glad that she is in my life."
Carol Jirousek
- "Thank you for your help, for teaching me and encouraging me in praying for others. What a difference it made when I pray for others at the retreat. You are truly gifted and in tune with the Holy Spirit. You are so wise!"
Terry Meats
Comments from Retreats:
- "Thank you for serving as a Spiritual Director for Fontbonne's Busy Person's Retreat. The students who met with you had nothing but wonderful things to say;
what was best to hear was that they recognized the Holy Spirit was at work. So thank you for allowing the power of Christ to work through you!" Sarah Boul, Campus Ministry (Fontbonne University)
- The thing that struck me about Annette and Annie was their holiness Fr. Fasching (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton)
- 'To Jesus Through Mary' was marvelous! What an uplifting experience. Thank you a thousand times over. Cyndi
- The seminar this morning touched me in so many ways - mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. It was truly a Holy Spirit event. Elizabeth
- I want to thank you once again for inviting me to this past weekend's retreat. I can't begin to tell you much I enjoyed it and was blessed by it. You and Annie are truly a blessing from God. I pray for you to continue to work together to bring more healing and blessings to others. You both have so much humility that is needed for God to use you girls as His Instruments. Continue to seek God's Will in your life, this is just the beginning!! Deb
- I want to thank you for a weekend that was beyond words. My heart was filled beyond words with love and spiritual food. People have asked me about the weekend and I do not even know how to answer them. Simple words can not convey any of my feelings. Your interior beauty radiates and that presence of peace, love and serenity is what I am looking for. Mary Jo
- I just want to personally thank you for the inspiring retreat. Annie and you make a good team; your gifts complement each other and you truly bring Jesus and His Mother to others. I'll keep you and your ministry in my prayers and that Annie and you continue to remain receptive to all that the Lord is asking of you. Irma
- It was a special retreat and a little emotional I might say! Every woman there was very special. Keep up the good work that you are doing. Liz
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