FOREWORD
Being a disciple is a challenge. We cannot live a life of disci-
pleship alone. We need others to model lives of discipleship
and accompany us as we grow in the spiritual life and ex-
perience ongoing conversion. Similarly, as missionary dis-
ciples, we are called to love and accept all people in a way
that invites each person to a deeper relationship with Christ
and a greater alignment of their lives with his teachings.
(Living as Missionary Disciples: A Resource for Evangelization, 15)
W
e do not go about our pilgrimage of faith completely alone. We
are accompanied by Christ and his Church. This accompani-
ment may come in many forms, but it is our way as Catholics.
However, this basic understanding of Catholicism is sometimes lost. Yet, if
we look at Church history and contemporary experience, we see that from
the time of the calling of the apostles to the present day, Jesus Christ, in and
through the Sacraments and the baptized, accompanies those who respond
to the encounter with him.
The community of faith, particularly the parish, needs to be a primary
place where accompaniment occurs. Over the last few years, in various
presentations throughout the United States, the Catholic Apostolate
Center team recognized the need for a resource that assists parishes,
campus ministries, other communities of faith, and individual Catholics
in deepening their understanding theologically, spiritually, and practically
in the art of accompaniment. The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and
Vocational Discernment, as well as the Apostolic Exhortation, Christus
Vivit, also gave rise for the need for deeper reflection on this topic. We are
pleased that Colleen Campbell and Thomas Carani graciously responded
to our invitation to develop this needed resource and now we offer The Art
of Accompaniment: Theological, Spiritual, and Practical Elements of Building a
More Relational Church.
The apostolate of accompaniment is for all Catholics to live. Walking
with our brothers and sisters, especially young people, and assisting them
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