Vincentian Spiritual Companioning
Mary McCormick, Mary Ann Daly, and Regina Bechtle (pictured at left), Sisters of Charity of New York, led an evening on Vincentian Spiritual Companioning last Thursday evening, Feb. 7, 2008, at LeGras Hall, Mount St. Vincent, Bronx, NY. 30 people attended, including 4 lay colleagues invited by Ellen O’Connell, SC, from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center/John A. Coleman School in White Plains, where she ministers.Mary Ann explained that spiritual companioning is a way of helping others to pay attention to God’s presence and action in their everyday lives. She gave an overview of the group reflection process that has been used widely in settings from prisons and homeless shelters to workplaces and retreats. Participants then moved into three groups to experience the process, in which one person shares a story of being surprised, challenged, delighted or moved to compassion; others listen and prayerfully reflect back their experience of God in what they have heard. The process is framed in a context of silence, prayer, respect, confidentiality, and trust in the ability of all to recognize God’s activity.Mary and Regina led the whole group in reflecting on the experience and highlighting its key Vincentian components of the process:
- it honors the belief that God meets us in community and gives graces to individuals to be shared with all;
- it is simple, adaptable, and user-friendly in all settings, especially with persons who are poor.
The evening was the first offering in the Initiative on Spirituality and Healing sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of New York.
We had a wonderful night at the presentation on spiritual companioning. Among the participants from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, a new ministry being sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of New York, were a speech therapist, a psychologist, a dedicated volunteer and a child care worker. The Center and accompaning school, the John A. Coleman School, are new to the Charity charism. This was a way to hear about the charism as well as learning how to put it into practice in the workplace. I’ve had two experiences with Vincentian Spiritual Companioning. One was at Xavier Center on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, NJ. The other experience was at a day of reflection for Seton Associates. Prior to these experiences, I had been searching for a format for a caregiver support group that would focus less on the burdens of caregiving and more on the caregiver as a person. Because of the two experiences of Companioning, I am forming a team to be trained in this process in order to begin a Caregiver Support group in our parish. I am sure that the participants will leave feeling centered, uplifted and refreshed with an appreciation of God’s presence. Thank you for your ministry.2 Comments
We had a wonderful night at the presentation on spiritual companioning. Among the participants from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, a new ministry being sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of New York, were a speech therapist, a psychologist, a dedicated volunteer and a child care worker. The Center and accompaning school, the John A. Coleman School, are new to the Charity charism. This was a way to hear about the charism as well as learning how to put it into practice in the workplace.
I’ve had two experiences with Vincentian Spiritual Companioning. One was at Xavier Center on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, NJ. The other experience was at a day of reflection for Seton Associates.
Prior to these experiences, I had been searching for a format for a caregiver support group that would focus less on the burdens of caregiving and more on the caregiver as a person. Because of the two experiences of Companioning, I am forming a team to be trained in this process in order to begin a Caregiver Support group in our parish. I am sure that the participants will leave feeling centered, uplifted and refreshed with an appreciation of God’s presence.
Thank you for your ministry.