Have you ever felt uncomfortable when a friend or family member suffers from one of life’s tragic events and you didn’t know what to say or how to help? Maybe it was a devastating diagnosis. Maybe it was a death. Perhaps it was an addiction. It could be conflict with their adult children. It could even be a mental health crisis.
It could be that you are already trying to offer comfort to someone who suffers. You worry, listen, pray but you are unsure what you could do or say to make things better. Maybe you are carrying something that isn’t yours to carry. Accompaniment doesn’t mean carrying the burden for another person. Only Christ can do that. It means learning to walk beside them, trusting that Christ will do what only Christ can do.
These situations all feel very heavy, and you might not feel prepared to step into the role of accompaniment. You could be afraid that you will say or do the wrong thing. If you’ve found yourself in any of these situations, this series is for you.
We all carry burdens. How can you carry your own and still walk beside your friends who suffer? I’m partnering with the folks at Ignatian Ministries to offer a five-session professional development series to equip you to do just that. We will borrow the wisdom of 12-step practices and use Ignatius of Loyola’s Ignatian tools — working Side by Side as you walk side by side with those who suffer.
In this series, we will offer you the language and tools to help you accompany your friends, family members, and fellow parishioners in these hard places.
In Side by Side, you’ll have space to:
- Learn how the Twelve Steps and Ignatian spirituality illuminate one another
- Reflect on how these traditions can inform spiritual direction, pastoral care, and everyday relationships
- Practice noticing spiritual movements in ourselves and those we accompany
- Explore what it means to accompany without rescuing, controlling, or losing ourselves in another’s suffering
- Grow in the freedom to trust Christ’s presence and his work in the lives of those we serve
Important Details:
- Wednesdays, October 21 – November 18
- 12:30pm to 2:00pm Central
- Registration: $250
All sessions will be recorded and available to everyone who registers. Additionally, each registered participant will receive downloadable resources and session materials for continued learning, as well as a community space for reflection and shared learning.