84 The Art of Accompaniment
and challenges of service. Because many staff members participate in the
formation and welcome of new employees in this way, the practice of ac-
companiment can help foster collaboration and a unified vision among the
parish staff.
Mentors can provide a space of integration for new staff members.
Within the accompanying relationship, those accompanied can receive
mentorship in their new role, reflect on their experiences, and consider how
God is continuing to work within their career or leadership position. Men-
tors can also be an invaluable means of support for those who are new to
parish ministry; with the added support of the accompanying relationship,
new parish leaders may be encouraged to continue their ministry even when
challenges or difficulties arise.
Accompaniment among volunteer leadership or staff must be feasible
and practical for the parish desiring to implement it. While some parishes
with many hired staff members may find it easy to implement it, other par-
ishes with fewer resources may have to find less obvious ways to promote
accompaniment. To this end, parishes with more resources should consider
aiding parishes in need. For example, seasoned staff members or ministry
leaders from some parishes can still provide valuable means of accompani-
ment to those in other parish communities. Pastors, pastoral associates, and
deaneries can collaborate with one another to strengthen parishes with less
resources, staff, or volunteers.
Accompaniment can also help to promote sustainability in parish
leadership and ministry. By identifying and accompanying future leaders
of ministry within their community, current leaders and staff members
strengthen their parishes. Accompaniment can also serve particular ethnic
and cultural communities within a parish. By raising up new leaders from
Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Filipino, African American, and other cultural
communities, parish leadership promote vibrancy and honor the diversity
of the Church. Because they know intimately the needs, practices, and ex-
periences of their cultural groups, these leaders are best suited to guide the
next generation of leadership from their respective communities.