What is Accompaniment? 23
Most central, however, to the shaping of identity are other people. In rela-
tionships with others, a person learns deep truths about themselves, their
vocation, and God. Through loving interactions, shared time, and dialogue,
the person discerns their gifts, tendencies, and areas of necessary growth
with the assistance of the presence of another who is loving, accepting, and
wills the best for them. God communicates himself through these relation-
ships. In relationships with friends, parents, spouses, and other significant
people, the love of God is mirrored and calls the human person to live
authentically, honestly, and lovingly. Relationships provide an important
component to the human person’s development of their identity not only as
a child of God, but as a human being with particular gifts, interests, and
desires.
Accompaniment involves this formative charism of relationship. Be-
cause of its intentional and committed nature, the apostolate of accompani-
ment provides a space in which the wisdom and guidance of another helps
clarify the human person’s sense of identity. During the uncertain times of
discernment, transition, or decision-making, mentors can become a source
of stability in which the one accompanied is welcomed to contemplate the
different parts of their identity as a child of God. As the mentor comes
to know deeply the one accompanied, they offer a presence of hospitali-
ty in which the one accompanied finds freedom to work out their identi-
ty through different methods such as conversations about their strengths,
identifying moments when they heard God’s call, working collaboratively
to grow in areas of weakness, discerning small and large life choices, and
ultimately walking on the path towards Christ. In the apostolate of ac-
companiment, a mentor's presence becomes an invitation to the one they
accompany to “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be
called the children of God” (1 John 3:1a).
State of Catholic Institutions
According to research reported by institutions such as the Pew Research
Center 3 and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) 4 ,
Americans are becoming less religious. Younger generations of Americans
are more likely to disaffiliate from the faith they were brought up with, and
3 https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/
4
Going, Going, Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics