From Amoris Laetitia to Ebola: Accompaniment as a Model for Medical and Pastoral Care

Abstract

This chapter engages Paul Farmer’s _Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History_ as a way of highlighting the relevance and impact of the practice of accompaniment in both the fields of health and pastoral care. Starting with Pope Francis’ promulgation of the Apostolic letter, _Amoris Laetitia_, we find the acknowledgment that by not appreciating the complexities and exigencies of married and family life, ministers now need to draw near and assist those who have been long alienated in the church. Similarly, in Farmer’s account, we witness his accompanying care among Ebola victims as an indictment of the sanitarians’ brutal attempt to contain, and not care for the victims. Believing that Farmer’s legacy illuminates the moral urgency of accompaniment, it concludes with a word about how that legacy might further Francis’ campaign to reform both Church ministry and as well as those who govern that work around the world.