Interviews between members of the General Leadership Team, or the General Administration, or between leaders from different entities can be made by arrangement during this program.  Sessions for INTERVIEWS were listed in the residential program.  These are times to take up more detailed conversations or issues. We encourage you to arrange such conversations while you work your way through this ad limina program. Use whatever online medium enables you to facilitate such conversations.

One way to embody Spirituality of the Heart is through the practice of accompaniment.

Accompaniment into the complex reality of our lives is a journeying with; a companioning; a walking together; an engagement in allowing another to tell their story.

Accompaniment is a non-judgemental listening and empathising, which one takes into the Heart of Christ. Good accompaniment enables us to sense we are fully accepted and that we have a sense of God’s love for us. This promotes an awareness of self, of other, and of God, and leads to acceptance and affirmation of the realities we have become aware of. 

We see accompaniment in action in the Gospel of John in the narrative of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus comes along side of them and as he walks with them he does not tell them what is going on, but gently calls forth the story as they have known it. Though they have misunderstood the facts and the meaning of the life of Jesus he let’s them tell the story from their perspective. Jesus then leads them through the story again, but this time helping them to make the connections to the bigger picture. This ignites something in their hearts and they don’t want him to leave. Accompaniment has this capacity to takes us down into our deepest desires and connections with the God of our lives.

Accompaniment with brother MSC is a listening to and reflecting back of our individual hopes and desires, in the light of the common hopes and desires of the Congregation. It builds our relationships through our personal connection that leads to openness, trust and in living the culture of the Gospel. 

“To say that a person feels listened to, means a lot more than just their ideas get heard. It’s a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued.”

Deborah Tannen Author and Professor of Linguistics Georgetown University.