by Sen Vellakada

This 560-page book is a comparative study of person-oriented spiritual direction in St Francis de Sales and person-centred counselling in Carl R. Rogers - developing a strategy for pastoral counselling in the context of India. It is an attempt to develop a strategy for pastoral counselling in the context of India today. In this attempt, the effort is to integrate the person-oriented approach of Francis de Sales with the person-centred method of Carl Rogers. The similarity lies in their humanistic approach. Both were influenced by humanism – the former by Christian humanism, and the latter by psychological-philosophical humanism.

As pastoral counselling is still in its infancy in India, the need to contribute to its growth without neglecting its specific pastoral and social context is urgent. The rapidly changing economic, social, and pastoral scenario of India demands that the Church help the needy in their spiritual, emotional, psychological, and social needs. In this process of drastic socio-political changes, individuals and families remain vulnerable. Many become disoriented and end up suffering undue stress and mental problems. Unlike in the West where people consult psychotherapists without hesitation, in India, many Catholics still consider the Church their primary haven of refuge and the priest the first person to consult. The Church has to adequately respond to this challenge. Unfortunately, the Indian pastoral scene is largely authoritarian and from top to bottom clericalised. Many priests are neither suited nor qualified to deal satisfactorily with such situations and to treat their flock empathically and insightfully.

Francis de Sales has been one of the outstanding spiritual directors in the history of the Catholic Church. In addition to guiding many people personally, – some for several decades at a stretch! – he is credited with having written over 20,000 letters to different persons, mainly for the purpose of spiritual direction. Even as the bishop of a vast diocese, he looked on spiritual direction as his principal ministry. His letters, books and talks provide glimpses into his personalized way of direction. He was a totally person-oriented director. Moreover, with his deep insight into human nature and through his personal qualities like goodness, gentleness, patience, kindness and understanding of human nature, he could guide numerous people. This topic is one of the major concerns of this dissertation. Carl Rogers is the founder of the person-centred approach (PCA) in counselling and psychotherapy. Through his ground-breaking approach, he laid the foundation for the counselling movement, to which the origin of pastoral counselling is closely connected. The person-centred approach of Carl Rogers has a number of similarities to the way of spiritual direction practised by Francis de Sales: the humanistic influence, emphasis on the freedom, dignity and worth of persons, avoidance of manipulation of persons, trust in the dynamism of inner human capacities, etc. Both were convinced that through establishing healthy relationships, the spiritual director/therapist could help the other.

The therapeutic conditions, of which Rogers speaks – congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard (UPR), – could be understood from a Christian point of view as concrete expressions of love. Both Rogers and de Sales place great emphasis on human qualities in the process of guidance and believe that it is ultimately the healing climate provided by a relationship characterised by the above-mentioned qualities that initiates healing in the person who seeks help. Researches have also shown that the acquisition of therapeutic qualities contributes substantially to the effectiveness of spiritual direction, too.

There are factors common to both approaches that facilitate a combined approach – humanistic basis, positive idea of human being, emphasis on personal qualities, insistence on freedom, the central role of relationship, etc. Moreover, therapeutic conditions can be seen as concrete expressions of love from a Christian point of view. At the same time, however, there are also obviously irreconcilable differences between the two – the role of faith and transcendental dimension, God’s presence, acceptance of the fallen nature of humans, the need for grace, etc. The human person has a transcendental dimension. Physical well-being alone is not the final goal of life. Besides, humans cannot save or redeem themselves. Only God’s grace can save them.

This dissertation at the same time warns that a blind acceptance of Western methods is neither prudent nor effective in the Indian pastoral context where deep spirituality, strong traditional attitudes, and orthodoxy still hold sway. What is needed is a way of providing pastoral counselling based on freedom, uniqueness of individuals and respect for persons. A person-centred and person-oriented approach to pastoral issues is a felt need in India. To be denounced is authoritarianism, clericalism and male chauvinism in the pastoral context – the malaise of the Indian pastoral scene.

Pastoral counselling, as a branch of practical theology, has to remain open to further research, especially in psychology and psychotherapy, and constantly update itself for ministry. Psychological insights can enrich ministry, and vice versa. One must, however, be prudent. This dissertation highlights the need for more intensive training, further research and development in the field of pastoral counselling in the context of India.

The inevitable conclusion is that a holistic integration of Salesian spirituality and person-centred therapy is a fitting response to the pastoral challenges in India today. The survey I conducted also corroborates these conclusions.