This document discusses the art of accompaniment in parish life. It defines key concepts like encounter, accompaniment, community, and mission. Accompaniment involves a gradual lifelong process of conversion through relationship. It emphasizes that we cannot experience discipleship alone and calls us to accompany others and invite them to a deeper relationship with Christ. The story is shared of a student who was initially an atheist but through simple daily questions and care from their teacher eventually participated in RCIA and came to believe. Accompaniment is likened to an apprenticeship where disciples are joined to Christ. It involves devotions, the liturgy, Christian community, mentors, spiritual companions, and works of mercy. The ultimate goal of evangel

1. The Art of Accompaniment
in Parish Life

3. Who’s in the room?

4. The purpose of
evangelization is to
lead people to
encounter Christ.

5. ENCOUNTER
ACCOMPANY
COMMUNITY
MISSION

6. What is Encounter?
“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical
choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with
an event, a person, which gives life a new
horizon and a decisive direction.”
:: Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est (“God is Love”), no. 1

7. What is Accompaniment?
“Evangelization does not seek to invite people
to experience only one moment of conversion
but rather to experience the gradual and
lifelong process of conversion.”
:: Living as Missionary Disciples, p. 12

8. What is Accompaniment?
“We cannot live a life of discipleship alone. We need
others to model lives of discipleship and accompany us
as we grow in the spiritual life and experience ongoing
conversion. Similarly, as missionary disciples, we are
called to love and accept all people in a way that
invites each person to a deeper relationship with
Christ and a greater alignment of their lives with his
teachings.”
:: Living as Missionary Disciples, p. 15

9. The Woman
at the Well
John 4:1-42

10. Katie Prejean McGrady
@KatiePrejean
I once had a student inform me, on Day 1 of
their freshman year, that they were an
atheist, they thought Catholicism was stupid,
and nothing I did or said would change their
mind.
So, for 3 months, as they came into class each
day, I'd simply ask them "how are you,
today?“
11:29 AM - 19 Sep 2018

11. Katie Prejean McGrady
@KatiePrejean
Over time, they started to ask questions of
me. Simple at first: "How are you?" or
"What'd you have for lunch today?“
But eventually, those questions got deeper.
"Why does the Church say...?" or "How can
we know, for sure, that God is actually real?“
And, I'd answer.
12:09 PM - 19 Sep 2018

12. Katie Prejean McGrady
@KatiePrejean
They eventually started asking me for books
to read, videos to watch...
They started coming to my parish's weekly
Bible study, attended the Diocesan Youth
Conference, & finally, over a year after I first
started asking them how they were each day,
entered an RCIA program.
12:12 PM - 19 Sep 2018

13. Katie Prejean McGrady
@KatiePrejean
It starts with a simple "how are you?" and can
eventually lead to "I believe in One, Holy,
Catholic, and Apostolic Church..."
Because they don't care how much you know
until they know how much you care.
12:13 PM - 19 Sep 2018

14. Accompaniment as Apprenticeship
“[Formation] is not a mere expounding of
doctrines and precepts, but a training period in
the whole Christian life, and an apprenticeship
duty drawn out, during which disciples are joined
to Christ their Teacher.”
:: Ad Gentes (Degree on the Mission Activity of the Church), no. 14

15. Within the Family

16. Within the Family:
Devotions

17. In and Through the
Church: The Liturgy

18. In and Through the
Church: Christian
Community

19. In Others: Mentors

20. In Others: Spiritual
Companions

21. In Others: Works of
Mercy

22. What is Community?
“Evangelization invites people to the Body of
Christ, which is the Catholic Church.
The Church is a community brought together
by the work of the Holy Spirit.”
:: Living as Missionary Disciples, p. 16

23. What Does it Mean to be Sent?
“Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to
be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed,
anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving
love does not need much time or lengthy training
to go out and proclaim that love. Every Christian
is a missionary to the extent that he or she has
encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus.”
:: Evangelii Gaudium, no. 120

25. Find more resources at www.JonathanFSullivan.com.