6 The Art of Accompaniment
to see structures of the apostolate of accompaniment in the Catholic tradi-
tion, especially in parish life. Sponsors assist in the spiritual and personal
accompaniment of confirmandi, parents present their children to be bap-
tized, couples prepare to celebrate the sacrament of marriage, as well as in
the formation and preparation of catechumens and those coming to full
communion in the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation.
Additionally, more and more Catholics today seek accompaniment through
spiritual direction with experienced lay, religious, and ordained directors
who guide them in hearing the voice of God.
The apostolate of accompaniment is also observable in the lives of the
saints. Since the Church’s birth, the charism of spiritual friendship has been
present in her ministry, elevating human relationships to become means of
inspiration, encouragement, and holiness. Paul accompanied early Chris-
tian communities in his letters of guidance, correction, and encouragement.
The early Church Fathers also followed Paul’s example of written accompa-
niment. Through letters to their communities, saints such as Ignatius and
Clement exemplified fearless commitment to their faith even as persecution
and death loomed. Under the instruction of St. Ambrose, St. Augustine
would become one of the greatest thinkers in the Western Church. In the
middle ages, Sts. Francis and Clare enjoyed a relationship of friendship and
accompaniment. Moved by Francis’ preaching and example of life, Clare
“rebuilt the Church” in her own way by founding a monastery and spread-
ing devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Inspired by the zeal to share the
Gospel with all of God’s people across the world, Sts. Francis Xavier and
Peter Favre joined St. Ignatius Loyola to become the first members of the
Jesuit order. Spiritual friendship also characterized the life and vocation of
St. Vincent Pallotti. Accompanied by St. Vincent Strambi and St. Gaspar
del Bufalo in his time as a seminarian and early years as a priest, St. Vin-
cent Pallotti grew in devotion and love of Christ. It is easy to imagine that
St. Vincent Pallotti’s experience of being accompanied formed within him
a charism to spiritually guide many future saints and blesseds, including
Blessed Elisabetta Sanna. Accompaniment can also be seen in saintly fam-
ilies. St. Therese of Lisieux’s family fostered an environment where holiness
was able to take root, as we see in the numerous vocations to Religious Life
in her family and in the canonization of her parents.