92 The Art of Accompaniment
of their close friendships, they are often more able to identify the needs
of their peers. To this end, Catholic schools and universities can provide
training in accompaniment to their students, ensuring that students know
when to reach out for trained or professional support for their friends when
necessary.
High schools and universities can also be places of accompaniment for
teachers, professors, campus ministers, and other staff members. By cul-
tivating a culture of accompaniment in the high school or university staff
community, staff members can encourage, challenge, collaborate, and walk
with one another towards the shared goal of transformation in Christ. New
employees can benefit from being accompanied by seasoned colleagues
through mentoring and friendship. Though this form of accompaniment
may primarily take the form of professional mentorship, it can still aid in
collaborative growth in holiness in the life of the new teacher and the men-
tor. Additionally, campus ministries must see to it that all staff of the high
school or university are given opportunities to be accompanied on their
journey of faith, whether inside or outside of the school environment.
Seminaries
Seminaries are well-disposed to provide opportunities for the aposto-
late of accompaniment. More experienced priests, formators, or seminar-
ians can accompany less-experienced seminarians, walking with them on
the challenging journey of service to God’s people. Programs of formation
can include accompaniment as a means for seminarians to confront per-
sonal challenges, develop important pastoral skills, remain accountable, be
formed in humility, and grow in holiness.
Lay people especially can provide an important accompanying pres-
ence to seminarians both formally and informally. The laity can accompany
seminarians and can add a new perspective to their formation and external
dimension to their seminary training. Informally, the laity can also accom-
pany seminarians through the mutual sharing of experiences, friendship,
and prayer.
In the context of accompaniment of seminarians, the mentor must pay
special attention to the interpretation of the experiences of the one accom-
panied. With the assistance of accompaniment, these programs of formation