World Youth Day USA Guides International Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 16

their families and friends and anyone in the

alignment of life with Christ. Pope Francis

community praying for and connected with

warns that we cannot truly know the

the stateside and international pilgrims).

“person’s situation” before God from

Furthermore, the leader is not accompanying

“without.”10 This means that a compassionate

pilgrims by him or herself. Jesus Christ, fellow

listener can challenge another person to

pilgrims, the pope, and others encountered

greater spiritual growth.

along the way are also accompanying them.
Added to this, the leader is one who is also on

Pope Francis says that the “The Gospel tells

the journey with others in the group and

us to correct others and to help them grow on

witnesses a relationship with God. Leaders

the basis of a recognition of the objective evil

themselves are pilgrims.

of their actions (cf. Mt 18:15), but without
making judgments about their responsibility
and culpability (cf. Mt 7:1; Lk 6:37).”11

As Pope Francis said, “Although it sounds
obvious, spiritual accompaniment must lead
others ever closer to God, in whom we attain

The leader can keep this very careful balance

true freedom.”8 Pope Francis in his apostolic

through personal recognition of one’s own

exhortation Evangelii Gaudium teaches that

sinfulness and need for growth in life in

good spiritual accompaniment includes what

Christ. Everyone is in need of the mercy and

might be called growth-inducing acceptance

love of God; a profound awareness of this

and evangelizing service.9

fact should be an important and meaningful
experience during a pilgrimage.

Acceptance and Challenge
None of us is completely or fully-grown in

All who experience the international

our relationship with Jesus Christ and our

World Youth Days will come with their own

neighbor. We are all in need of on-going

struggles, sinfulness, and personal frustrations.

growth, but often we need others we trust to

Sometimes it is openly shared, and sometimes

show us some of the things we need to work

not. Good leaders recognize this and can

on. The pilgrim leader can offer acceptance of

accompany these young people through

another person, but in a way that challenges
that person to a deeper relationship and

8
9

Evangelii Gaudium, no. 170.
See Evangelii Gaudium, nos. 171-173.

10
11

14

Evangelii Gaudium, 172.
Ibid.