What is Accompaniment? 13
which promotes an authentic following of Christ, focused on his Person; it
implies education in knowledge of the faith and in the life of faith, in such
a manner that the entire person, at his deepest levels, feels enriched by the
word of God; it helps the disciple of Christ to transform the old man in
order to assume his baptismal responsibilities and to profess the faith from
the heart” (General Directory for Catechesis, 67). The one accompanied is an
apprentice in that they learn in a practical and holistic sense the lifestyle,
demands, choices, and actions involved in following Christ through the
example and guidance of a mentor.
Missionary Discipleship
By virtue of their Baptism, the one accompanied is a member of the
Church and sharer of the Christian faith. Baptism both demands and en-
ables the Christian faith to find a living expression in discipleship. Disciple-
ship is the believer’s pursuit and imitation of Christ according to their state
in life and particular experiences:
By following the example of his self-giving love we learn to be
Christian disciples in our own time, place, and circumstances (Our
Hearts Were Burning Within Us, 46)
Discipleship is simultaneously a lifestyle, a method of Christian formation,
and a process of continual conversion. A disciple is one who intentionally
responds to the responsibilities of the Christian faith in an active way with-
in their own life. The one accompanied is a disciple in their deliberate choice
to follow after Christ through their particular experiences in life. The one
accompanied is a disciple only to the Model Mentor, Jesus Christ, who works
through the relationship of accompaniment to call both the one accompa-
nied and their mentor to deeper holiness.
As part of the people of God, the one accompanied is also a missionary
disciple, called to participate in the Church’s main mission of evangelization:
Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the
Church, her deepest identity. (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 14)
Involved in this mission is an ongoing commitment to evangelize others,
and an openness to being evangelized themselves in a gradual and lifelong
way: