A component of my training through One Faith, One Mission, a catechist theological educational program through the Los Angeles, Archdiocese, is to observe a couple of catechists. I completed my first observation last night and one of the areas we are asked to look for is how the faith formation session affords an experience of being accompanied.
I had to do a little recall on this subject about what I learned during my own training on Accompaniment. It is such a beautiful aspect of being a catechist. Pope Francis describes the bedside manner needed in the art of accompaniment as “steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness,” and as having a “compassionate gaze” (EG, 169) (The Art of Accompaniment, , Br. John Paul Kern, O.P. July 28, 2016). Below is a link to this article which we read through our catechist formation program regarding Accompaniment. There is also a link to a video that further expands on this subject.
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