54 The Art of Accompaniment
is the work of the mentor in interpreting the human experience: assisting
the one accompanied “to accept the invitation of the Holy Spirit to conver-
sion, to commitment, to hope, and to discover more and more in his life
God’s plan for him” (General Directory for Catechesis, #152).
The mentor and the one they accompany labor together towards this
practice of interpretation in the relationship of accompaniment, a space that
is well-suited for this component of accompaniment because of its inten-
tional and committed nature. Through the mutual and prayerful reflection
upon events, situations, and relationships in the life of the one accompa-
nied, the mentor and the one accompanied let the wisdom of the Gospel
and Christian tradition speak to the questions and sentiments that arise
from being human - creating a space for dialogue regarding “the correla-
tion and interaction between profound human experiences and the revealed
message” (General Directory for Catechesis, #152). Through the assistance of
the perspective of the mentor, the one accompanied evaluates, tests, and
discerns the components of their experience, listening for the guidance of
the Spirit. With the words and images brought forth by the Gospel and
Christian tradition, the one accompanied is thus able to advance spiritually
and respond prudently to the invitations and promptings of the Holy Spirit
- recognizing and naming these movements in their personal life.
For a mentor to be properly disposed to interpret experience, they must
be knowledgeable regarding Scripture, Tradition, discernment, cultural
sensitivity, and basic human psychology. To acquire the skills necessary for
this practice, mentors must exercise active listening, learn basic skills in
spiritual direction, and be supported by a cohort of others who are engaged
in the apostolate of spiritual accompaniment.
Spirit-Filled Evangelizer
Because of their own encounter with Christ and their zeal for mission,
the mentor is filled with the Holy Spirit and well-disposed to accompany
and send the accompanied out on mission. As they share the journey of the
Christian life with the one accompanied, the mentor evangelizes the ac-
companied by fostering an encounter with Christ in their daily life, drawing
connections between the Gospel message and their everyday experiences,
and encouraging them toward ongoing conversion to Christ through the