The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Online Retreat for Catechists

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists

This summer, take some time, from the comfort of your own home and at times convenient to you, for an online retreat here at Catechist’s Journey. We’ll spend the summer reflecting on the spirituality of the catechist, focusing on six characteristics as outlined in the Guide for Catechists (Section II, 6–10):

  • An Openness to God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
  • An Openness to the Church
  • An Openness to the World
  • A Coherence and Authenticity of Life
  • Missionary Zeal
  • Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Retreat posts will be twice each week, starting June 20, 2017, with some introductions to each other and the summer’s material. On Tuesdays, I’ll lay the groundwork and provide an introduction to the week’s theme, reflection questions, suggested spiritual exercises to practice, and an invitation to post comments and interact with your fellow catechist-retreatants.

Then on Thursdays, look for another reflection to invite you to consider the week’s theme further. These will be written by a diverse group of experienced catechetical leaders we’ve invited to share as retreat leaders this summer: Julianne Stanz, Jayne Mondoy, DeKarlos Blackmon, John Gonzalez, and Patrice Spirou. These leaders will welcome your comments on each post as you reflect on the themes of the catechist’s spirituality.

Each week you’re invited to share your thoughts and read and respond to what others are saying in the comments section. This exchange of thoughts will be one of the most significant aspects of the retreat.

For most catechists, summer is a time to take a break from the classroom and renew ourselves. What better way to renew your spirit than to join with catechists from all over the world, reflecting on the spirituality of the catechist?

How Do I Join the Retreat?

Subscribe to Catechist’s Journey so you don’t miss any of the posts (link in sidebar). This is a free online retreat, brought to you by Loyola Press as part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing the spiritual life of catechists both online and with valuable resources throughout our catechist guides.

If you miss a week or two because of vacations or other commitments, don’t worry! Each installment will appear here on the blog, and you’ll be able to access any of the weeks at any time, joining the conversation as your schedule permits.

We’ll also continue the discussion on our Catholic Faith Formation Facebook page, where you can share posts with friends and conveniently interact from the familiar media of Facebook.

Spread the word! If you’re a catechetical leader, please forward this post to your catechists and your fellow DREs/CREs/principals in neighboring parishes and schools. If you’re a catechist or school teacher, tell your catechetical leader about this retreat and let your fellow catechists know. Share the below graphic on social media too.

Join in the Spirituality of the Catechist: An Online Retreat for Catechists

I look forward to this retreat experience with you. Remember, we start June 20, 2017.

About Joe Paprocki 2758 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

3 Comments on The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Online Retreat for Catechists

  1. I will be traveling (often with no internet access) for 4 of the 6 weekly sessions. Would I still be able to participate?

    • Cathy, yes, please join us as you can. The retreat posts will also be available after the summer, so you can jump in at any time!

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