Avila Foundation

welcome to the castle

Under the patronage of St. Teresa of Avila, we seek to draw souls deeper into the interior life of prayer and contemplation by reproposing authentic Catholic mystical tradition.

Step inside your interior castle.

Meet dan burke

Dan Burke is the founder of the Avila Foundation, the home of several apostolates engaged in the mission of reproposing authentic Catholic mystical tradition.

The Avila Foundation seeks to bring about a renewal of mental prayer and authentic spiritual formation in the Church in order to draw souls deeper into union with God.

Dan is the author and editor of several books on authentic Catholic spirituality and hosts the Divine Intimacy Radio show with his wife, Stephanie, which is broadcast weekly on EWTN Radio. Past episodes can be found, along with thousands of articles on the interior life, at SpiritualDirection.com.

Most importantly, Dan is a blessed husband, father of four, grandfather of one—and grateful to be Catholic.

apostoli viae

In his deep commitment to the advancement of faithful Catholic spirituality, Dan is also the founder of Apostoli Viae, a world-wide, private association of the faithful dedicated to living and advancing the authentic spiritual patrimony of the Church.

The Mission of the Apostles of the Way is to live, light and lead the Way to union with God.

Each of the Avila Foundation's apostolic works is a fruit of the charism of Apostoli Viae, helping souls to draw deeply from the Catholic mystical tradition.

Explore Apostoli Viae

our apostolic works

Spiritualdirection.com is the largest website dedicated to authentic Catholic spirituality in the world, offering daily guidance to visitors from 190 countries through free life-changing resources and e-mail newsletters.

Spiritualdirection.com impacts souls by providing resources such as our free video series Into the Deep and Spiritual Warfare and Discernment of Spirits, live webinars, life-changing virtual retreats, events, articles and more.

divine intimacy radio

A podcast with Dan and Stephanie Burke that plumbs the depths of faithful Catholic spirituality, airing around the world through the EWTN Radio Network and podcast channels like iTunes. Tune in weekly and visit our rich library of past episodes!

blog

Inspiring articles and reflections curated specifically to offer spiritual direction and insight into the interior life. Sign up to receive our newsletter at spiritualdirection.com and never miss a post!

webinars

Live, interactive webinars and virtual retreats with best-selling authors and Catholic influencers on timely topics related to the spiritual journey, prayer, and fully living the Catholic faith.

events

Several life-changing, in-person events, retreats and pilgrimages are put on annually by SpiritualDirection.com, including Dan and Stephanie Burke's Divine Intimacy in Marriage Retreats.

Stay Connected

The Avila Institute provides the most comprehensive formation on the spiritual life available around the world. The Institute is committed to serving the Faithful Poor. We serve priests, religious and laity in over 75 countries giving them the wisdom and strength they need to deepen their faith and serve others in their God-given missions in life.

Under the patronage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the mission of the Avila Institute is to draw Christians worldwide into deeper union with Christ through mystagogically oriented spiritual education focused on the pursuit of a transformational relationship with God.

avila institute programs

high calling program

Our well-respected pre-seminary year of formation helps men discerning a call to the priesthood through a live online communion of engaged faculty, a holy brotherhood, and a deepening relationship with Christ. Visit Myhighcalling.com to learn more.

graduate program

Offering certification in Spiritual Theology with renowned faculty, the Graduate Program equips individuals and leaders in the Church to understand, experience, and share authentic Catholic spirituality.

spiritual direction Program

Avila Institute’s Spiritual Direction Program is partnered with Heart of Christ Spiritual Direction Training Program to form spiritual directors. Learn the essentials to become a Spiritual Director. This two-year program includes online and onsite classes, role playing, practicum and more.

school of spiritual formation

These courses fit easily in the life of busy people who desire to deepen their understanding of many fascinating spiritual topics and their own relationship with the Lord.

mary, queen of the home academy

Mary, Queen of the Home Academy is an online high school program which assists parents in forming their children and equipping them for adult Catholic life.

priestly renewal intiative

The Initiative for Priestly Renewal, in conjunction with St. Patrick's Seminary and the Avila Institute, is an initiative for priests to renew their fidelity to a life-long commitment to the priesthood through retreats, pilgrimages and conferences.

Grow With Us

books for your spiritual formation

Dan Burke has authored several books on prayer, the interior life, spiritual warfare and other related topics such as spiritual direction.

Among his bestselling titles are Spiritual Warfare and Discernment of Spirits, Into the Deep and Devil in the Castle: St. Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Warfare, and the Progress of the Soul.

Each of his books is intended to open up a path for you to journey toward deeper union with the Lord of life.

Shop Books

do the harder thing

Rooted in a deep love of Christ and His Bride, Do The Harder Thing is a apostolate dedicated to assisting every one of God’s sons and daughters in their daily spiritual battle. Remembering that: “Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” - Ephesians 6:12

Do the Harder Thing is an apostolate of Jordan Burke, Dan Burke's son. Together, Dan and Jordan run The Devil is in the Details, a podcast where they journey into the depths of spiritual warfare and its relationship to the interior life and the Catholic tradition.

Learn More

We rely on faithful donors and supporters like you to keep each of the Avila Foundation's apostolic works alive and bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Learn more about the Avila Army, our community of faithful monthly donors and prayer warriors here.