The One Accompanied 91
faith that seeks understanding, and encourage them to live out their baptis-
mal call to holiness and discipleship. Peer-to-peer ministry has many ad-
vantages when it comes to spreading the Gospel to the widest and furthest
corners of a school population. Because students share common interests
and goals that can help to form a bond of trust and spiritual friendship,
peer-to-peer ministry draws students together in worship and faith shar-
ing. Professional campus ministry staff should embody the qualities of a
mentor to all students on campus, but in a particular way, they should ac-
company and mentor their campus ministry peer leaders. By establishing
student ministry leaders, professional campus ministers work to build up
future Church leaders who will continue the apostolate of accompaniment
throughout their lives.
It is important for schools and universities to consider the role of accom-
paniment beyond a structured campus ministry setting. Because accompa-
niment truly is an apostolate, it is the responsibility of all the baptized, not
just the professional campus ministers. Campus ministries must take the
lead in creating a culture shift towards relationships of accompaniment,
taking care to ensure that this change occurs in the wider school environ-
ment as well.
Especially in high schools and universities, sports play an important
role in forming leadership skills, fostering community and friendship, and
cultivating virtue. Sports provide an essential space of accompaniment and
evangelization in the lives of young people. Coaches and athletic trainers
can create a culture of accompaniment in their teams through fostering
teamwork, reminding athletes of the greater purposes of sports, assisting
athletes through athletic disappointments or injury, and helping young peo-
ple apply the virtues learned in sports to their overall life.
Universities are places in which accompaniment can be helpful, espe-
cially to students making the transition out of college life. Besides assisting
students in discerning where to go next after they graduate, universities can
establish relationships that help new graduates find communities of faith
and friendship beyond their college campuses. University campus minis-
tries, career offices, and professors can all contribute to accompanying stu-
dents into post-graduate life.
Students also have the opportunity to accompany one another. Because