This workshop will help leaders explore ways for Resources ......Accompanying Youth Today Accompaniment “Today, we need a hurch capable of walking at people's side, of doing more

Accompanying Youth - National Workshop Series

Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2018. All rights reserved. 1

Accompaniment is our model for ministry with youth and their families. God began the conversation with young

people; our job is to pay attention to what God is doing in their lives, walk with them as they grow in

discipleship, and help them discern their response to God's plan for their life. The workshop is guided by the

2018 Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. Topics include:

This workshop will help leaders explore ways for • Accompanying Youth Today

• Becoming a Faith Companion

• Guiding Youth in Discernment

• Helping Youth Pray

• Empowering a Community that Accompanies

Resources To show our gratitude for your participation today, we have several free resources for you from our

Youth Ministry Access and Fashioning Faith subscription websites. You will also find the PowerPoints,

handouts, and other resources from today’s workshop on our website. Just visit

www.cmdnet.org/accompany

Trainers Ministry staff of CMD: Angel Barrera, Tom East, Susan Searle, and Joan Weber

About the Center for Ministry Development The Center for Ministry Development promotes the

development of ministry and catechesis with youth and

families through leadership formation, service learning, and

resources rooted in Catholic tradition and Scripture. CMD is

a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.

5713 Wollochet Drive NW, Suite A, Gig Harbor WA 98335

(253) 853-5422 • www.cmdnet.org

http://www.cmdnet.org/accompanyhttp://www.cmdnet.org/



I Am the Bread of Life By Steve Angrisano and Tom Booth

I am the Bread of Life,

I am the hope in night,

I am the door wide open,

I am the shepherd’s might,

I am the truth and light,

I am the way and life,

I Am Who Am and I am for you:

come and follow me.

I am bread for the world,

hope for the hopeless.

come to me,

and know that I’ll always be there

with my arms open wide.

I Am Who Am and I am for you: come and follow me.

I give my heart to those in sorrow,

I come to those who are in need;

hope for today and for tomorrow,

light for all who want to see.

© 2015, Steve Angrisano and Tom Booth. Published by Spirit & Song®, a division of OCP. All rights reserved. Used with Permission.

Reflection

Who is a companion for you, someone who is bread for you? How does this person lead

you to Christ?



Accompanying Youth Today

Accompaniment

“Today, we need a Church capable of walking at people's side, of doing

more than simply listening to them; a Church which accompanies them on

their journey; …”

Pope Francis, World Youth Day, 2013.

“Accompanying young people requires going beyond a preconceived framework, encountering young

people where they are, adapting to their times and pace of life and taking them seriously.”

Preparatory Document for the Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment, page 12

Companion

To name a friend as a companion is to quite literally name another as “the one who brings to you, or who

is bread for you.” It is the highest compliment you can bestow upon a person. This is a person who

sustains you.

John Flaherty

Catholic Collective

Accompaniment means that we:

• We share bread with

• We don’t judge

• We walk along side (not pulling or pushing)

• We listen to questions

• We recognize where God is working – lead them to the holy



Going Out

• Going beyond our usual activities.

• Avoid everything that makes the Church outdated and

makes people feel hemmed in

• Accompanying youth as they face challenges

• Going to where youth are – technology, sports…

Seeing

• Spend time with youth

• Listen to them

• Respond to their experience, their story

• Empathize

Empathy

Theresa Wiseman's four attributes of empathy:

• To be able to see the world as others see it—This requires putting your own "stuff" aside to see the

situation through your loved one's eyes.

• To be nonjudgmental—Judgement of another person's situation discounts the experience and is an

attempt to protect ourselves from the pain of the situation.

• To understand another person’s feelings—We have to be in touch with our own feelings in order to

understand someone else's. Again, this requires putting your own "stuff" aside to focus on your

loved one.

• To communicate your understanding of that person’s feelings—Rather than saying, "At least

you..." or "It could be worse..." try, "I've been there, and that really hurts," or (to quote an example

from Brown) "It sounds like you are in a hard place now. Tell me more about it.”

Brene Brown explains that empathy is a skill that strengthens with practice and encourages people to both

give and receive it often. By receiving empathy, not only do we understand how good it feels to be heard

and accepted, we also come to better understand the strength and courage it takes to be vulnerable and

share that need for empathy in the first place.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/partnering-in-mental-health/201408/bren-brown-empathy-vs-

sympathy-0

https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/empathyhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/partnering-in-mental-health/201408/bren-brown-empathy-vs-sympathy-0https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/partnering-in-mental-health/201408/bren-brown-empathy-vs-sympathy-0



Calling

• Awakening youth

• Asking questions without pre-determining the answers.

“In the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ look of love is transformed into a word,

that is, a call to newness of life which is to be accepted, explored and

built up. Above all, calling means awakening a desire and jarring

people from what blocks them or from the complacency which slows

them down. Calling means asking questions which have no ready-

made answers. In this way, and not by passively respecting norms, people are impelled to embark on a

journey and to encounter the joy of the Gospel.”

Preparatory Document, page 5

Which young people?

“…all young people without exception have the right to be guided in life’s journey.”


• Youth already joined through baptism.

• Beyond that, the Church is geographic

• We have a special call to reach marginalized youth

Who accompanies?

• A responsible community

• People of Reference (adults who work with youth.)

• The family

• Shepherds of souls (Pastors, Bishops, Vocations ministers)

• Teachers

“The role of credible adults and their cooperation is basic in the course of human development and

vocational discernment. This requires authoritative believers, with a clear human identity, a strong sense of

belonging to the Church, a visible spiritual character, a strong passion for education and a great capacity for

discernment.”




• Focus on God’s work within the young person

and their free response – avoid manipulation

or coercion.

• People who work with youth need training and

support.

“Sometimes, the aspect of planning shows signs of

unpreparedness and a lack of skill, a situation which

needs to be avoided by more earnestly undertaking

the task of thinking, realizing, coordinating and implementing the pastoral programme for young people in

a correct, consistent and effective manner. Such a task will also require a specific and continual preparation

of those responsible for formation.”


Implications

• We accompany youth and help the community accompany their young members

• We need to see what God is doing with young people so we can join and support this conversation.

• Programs and pastoral activities are intended to initiate the process of accompaniment.

“Pastoral activity with young people, which is called upon to start processes more than to dominate spaces,

shows, above all, the importance of service to the human growth of each individual and the educational

and formative resources that can support it.”


• We need to reimagine our role – see young people in new ways and be intentional.

Accompaniment as a Paradigm for Youth Ministry

• Begins with the young person.

• Surrounds children and youth with love and care.

• Empowers lots of faith companions.

• Calls youth to prayer and discernment.

• Supports young disciples in witness and service.



Big Picture

God is calling each young person to the fullness of life.

God has been dreaming of each young person and longing for them, from the moment of conception.

God began a conversation with each young person, calling him or her to discipleship.

Our job in ministry is to align ourselves with this conversation, to help the young person listen with the ear of his or her heart to our loving God.

We do this by accompanying the young person, by praying for, connecting with, listening to, empathizing with, caring for, witnessing to, and becoming an echo of God’s call.



The Process of

Accompaniment

All of ministry can be viewed through this lens of accompaniment.

We empower the parish or school community to love each young person in Christ’s name.

We support parents and families in echoing God’s loving call.

We strengthen each connection between young people and faith companions.

We view programs and processes as opportunities to connect youth to faith companions.



To transform our mission and ministries with youth, we:

Map the territory by identifying the contacts between youth and potential faith companions.

We transform programs and processes to strengthen these connections.

We eliminate some programs and processes that don’t match with this paradigm.

We create new strategies to reach out to youth who are not connected.

We intentionally equip, empower, and support faith companions throughout our community.



Becoming a Faith Companion Empower All of the Contacts

Tasks of a Faith Companion

Parents / Aunts / Uncles / Grandparents

Ministry Leaders / Catechists / Teachers / Coaches / Group leaders

Sponsors / Godparents

Peers

Prays

Connects

Listens

Empathizes

Cares

Witnesses

Calls



Watch Out For We spend a lot of time talking about the charity model of mentoring, where the young person is this empty

vessel and the adult has all of the answers and will pour that information into the willing vessel. And just

how problematic that is and how sometimes, the idea of mentoring has some really intense power

dynamics that are just about fulfilling or acting out that sort of idea. So, when adults come to a relationship

also with the idea that they’re receiving, not just giving, and that they are building some sort of scaffolding

but they’re also learning, thinking about things in a different way, and valuing the context that the student

is in, instead of judging the context the student is in, I think those are really different types of relationships.

“Getting Relationships Right” – Search Institute, page 14.

• Judgement

• Adultism

• Coercion

• Lecturing

Reflection

Recall a faith conversation you’ve had with a young person.

• What was hard?

• What was easy?

• What worked?

• What doesn’t work?



5 to 1 Ration instead of 1 to 5

We really need a 5 to 1 ratio. Many children’s and youth ministries wish they had one teacher for every five kids. But researchers Kara Powell and Chap Clark have found that to see students remain in church into adulthood, there should be five adults for each student. This is a research-based reversed ratio. Ideally, there should be five people praying for one student by name and showing up at their sporting events throughout the year. It’s a paradigm shift. It’s not about finding five small group leaders per student, it’s about finding five adults who show an interest in a teen.

The key is to motivate and equip parents to create that team around their child. Then the youth pastor can focus on the kids who don’t have parents at home who are able to do this. They need to look for teachable moments along with modelling a healthy relationship with Christ. The Team Here are some people that can be part of this team

1. A committed youth leader: You were expecting this one. This person would connect with the student with the parents permission every week. They connect at youth meetings and various ways, much like big brother big sisters.

2. An uncle or an aunt. Some people have God parents. How can you encourage them to be more involved in a teen’s life. Some may be at a distance

3. A coach. Coaches can plan a role in a students life, believing in them and bringing the best out of them.

4. Small group members. If you are part of a small group of other parents natural connections can be made between them and a teen. We have always been blessed with “aunties and uncles” within our church who have shown and interest in our kids.

5. Sunday School Teachers. Lilly was such a blessing to our family. She taught our girls and continued to stay in touch after they left her class. She gave them gifts on their birthdays and always went out of her way to connect with them at church

6. Grandparents can play a significant role in a teen’s life. They may be at a distance but their visits can be very meaningful if they stay in contact throughout the year.

(Ron Powell, Youth Ministry Unleashed, March 3, 2016)

From: http://youthministryunleashed.com/how-to-get-the-ratio-right/

See Also: https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/articles/moving-away-from-the-kid-table

http://youthministryunleashed.com/how-to-get-the-ratio-right/https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/articles/moving-away-from-the-kid-table



Resources for Mentors / Faith Companions:

https://www.search-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Getting-Relationships-Right.pdf

https://www.search-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/0201/09/DevRel_Framework-1-Pager-

04-26-2017.pdf

https://www.search-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Getting-Relationships-Right.pdfhttps://www.search-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/0201/09/DevRel_Framework-1-Pager-04-26-2017.pdfhttps://www.search-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/0201/09/DevRel_Framework-1-Pager-04-26-2017.pdf



Puzzle Piece Exercise – Utilizing Faith Companions in My

Community

Ways to Invite Faith

Companions

Places to find / connect Faith Companions

Ways to Support Youth

as a Faith Companion

Support for Faith

Companions

Training for Faith

Companions



Be new!

Precisely because the proposed message involves the

freedom of young people, every community needs to give

importance to creative ways of addressing young people in

a personal way and supporting personal development. In

many cases, the task involves learning to allow for

something new and not stifling what is new by attempting

to apply a preconceived framework. No seed for vocations

can be fruitful if approached with a closed and

“complacent pastoral attitude that says: ‘We have always

done it this way’” and without people being “bold and creative in this task of rethinking the

goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities”

(Evangelii gaudium, 33).

Links and Resources

All links were successfully accessed as of February 13, 2018.

• 2018 National Workshop Series "Accompanying Youth on Their Journey of Faith and

Discernment": https://www.cmdnet.org/accompany

• Preparatory Document for the Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational

Discernment:http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20170113_documento-

preparatorio-xv_en.html

• Synod Information: http://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/synod-of-bishops/synod-

2018/index.cfm
https://www.cmdnet.org/accompanyhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20170113_documento-preparatorio-xv_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20170113_documento-preparatorio-xv_en.htmlhttp://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/synod-of-bishops/synod-2018/index.cfmhttp://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/synod-of-bishops/synod-2018/index.cfm

Documents

This workshop will help leaders explore ways for Resources ......Accompanying Youth Today Accompaniment “Today, we need a hurch capable of walking at people's side, of doing more