Accompany Adults
Help adults as they move through different seasons in life, with different focus areas and needs.
Young adults and senior adults are in a very different places in their lives. If we seek to accompany those in our communities, we need to get in their shoes and understand what is important to them and how we can best serve them.
Accompany Young Adults
Don't neglect reaching out to those in their late teens, 20s, and 30s, during this important time before they may have started families of their own.
Offer Support for College
Utilize books like Catholic and College Bound to remind students how their faith can support them as they discern an occupation and learn to live with more independence.
Reach Out to Young Adults
Is your parish full of 20- and 30-somethings? See Catholic & Starting Out and Not Your Grandparents' Church for ideas of how to accompany these members of our family, speak their language, and understand their issues.
Accompany Married Couples
Walk with couples as they prepare for marriage and navigate the challenges life brings, using insights from Pope Francis' document The Joy of Love.
Prepare Couples Well
Be a true accompanist, using a strong tool that will help you address the specific situation of each couple. Perspectives on Marriage and Picture of Love (updated based on The Joy of Love) are both excellent tools.
Invite Couples to Convalidate
Many Catholic couples today do not initially marry in the church, but we should invite them to do so and use it as an opportunity to accompany them. Don't use a regular preparation process: Picture of Love has a specific edition to address this situation.
Address Divorce, Annulment, and Remarriage
Pope Francis is asking the church to act with mercy and support people through these difficult situations. Be prepared to do it well. Review our resources, including the To Trust Again preparation process for remarriage.
Offer Marriage Enrichment
Marriage is not easy, but we often ignore married couples unless they come to us with their problems. Be proactive by offering workshops, retreats (such as A Project of Love, based on The Joy of Love, or supportive resources.
Accompany Senior Adults
Support senior adults as they navigate the life transition into retirement, grandparenthood, volunteerism, and/or spiritual awakenings.
Offer Reflection on Senior Adulthood
Don't make seniors figure this out alone. Offer a retreat like The Best Is Yet to Be or facilitate book groups on some of the excellent books that explore the second half of life from a faith perspective.
Coach Grandparents
Give grandparents support and ideas, during this time when they may be the only ones actively passing faith on to their grandkids. Help them find fun ways to share their wisdom, insights, and faith. One excellent tool—Grandparenting with Grace—is a small group process that makes it easy to gather grandparents for faith sharing so they can accompany each other.
Accompany during Grief & Illness
This is one of the most important times for us to be available to our people, no matter what age they might need healing.
Lead & Form Your Eucharistic Visitors
Learn best practices for starting & sustaining a Eucharistic ministry to the sick & homebound with our free guide. Then offer initial & ongoing formation for your ministers, grounded in the art of accompaniment.
Help in Times of Grief & Anxiety
Start a grief support group and/or a lending library, and utilize the wealth of books and videos to address many specific situations. Accompany throughout the funeral process and beyond.
Support in Times of Illness
Support those experiencing illness as well as their caregivers. Resources are available for specific situations, such as Alzheimers, dementia, and cancer.