T H E O N E A C C O M PA N I E D
T
o the apostolate of accompaniment, the one accompanied also
brings a certain presence, activity, and spirituality. The one who
is accompanied is one who, through the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit, seeks out the wisdom and guidance of a fellow Christian with whom
they journey on the path of life. This call to seek accompaniment is root-
ed in baptism, through which the one accompanied is incorporated into
the Christian family, the Body of Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church,
#1267). Through accompaniment, the baptismal relationship of the one ac-
companied and the family of the Church is strengthened, and the grace
of the sacrament continues to unfold (Catechism of the Catholic Church,
#1255). Those accompanied are guided in the journey of their life, walking
with the Church through the presence of the mentor in the relationship of
accompaniment.
Pivotal to the role of the one accompanied is their active participation
in accompaniment. The one who is accompanied represents not an empty
receptacle to be filled with knowledge; rather, foremost in the consideration
of their role is their exercise of their own freedom, desire, and motivation.
As accompaniment is an iteration of adult evangelization and catechetical
ministry, it “should always actively challenge participants to get involved
with their own faith journey—passive listening is never enough; the goal is
always conversion” (Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, 81).
Qualities
A person who seeks accompaniment is not a passive receptor of the
wisdom of the mentor; rather, the one accompanied must also have their
own qualities that properly dispose them to participate collaboratively in
the apostolate. In the stories of the Gospels, the one who seeks accompani-
ment is profiled in the disciples and figures throughout Jesus’s ministry.
59