relationships Archives - Catechist's Journey

two young men talking - photo by Anna Vander Stel on Unsplash

Accompaniment: Giving People the “Time of Day”

In the new Directory for Catechesis, there is a good amount of attention devoted to the notion of accompaniment. This is not surprising, since Pope Francis used the phrase “the art of accompaniment” in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. But what exactly does accompaniment look like? Simply put, to accompany someone is to give that person the “time of day”—a phrase we use to describe acknowledging someone and giving that someone our attention. It is to […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Celebrating Relationships and Trinity Sunday

Joe Paprocki

We have learned many things during this pandemic, one of which is just how much we value relationships. For Catholics, that should come as no surprise, since we believe we are made in the image and likeness of a relational God—a community of Persons whose relationship is so intimate that they are One! In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the notion of celebrating relationships in anticipation of Trinity Sunday (June 7, 2020). […]

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Catechists and Catechetical Leaders: How Often Do You Talk to One Another?

Joe Paprocki

During my years at Loyola Press, I have had the joy of working with and reporting to a number of directors who can vouch for the fact that one of the first things I ask from them is a regular meeting (weekly or bi-weekly) to ensure that we have open and ongoing communication. Without such communication, any relationship suffers. So when it comes to catechists and catechetical leaders, I must ask the question: how often […]

Loving Students as St. John Bosco Did

Darcy Osby

There is one in every class: the challenging student who saps up your last ounce of patience. Several years ago as a student teacher, I pledged to myself to find one thing that I could love about this child in my class and found several: his fascinating knowledge of war history, his intricate creations of forts with building blocks, and how he would get so excited when someone showed interest in his make-believe wars that […]

Connecting with Christ: Fostering Relationships in Catechesis

Eric Gurash

Social media is a part of everyday life. According to the Pew Research Internet Project, 74% of adults who are online report using social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter. More interestingly, the data show that people who use Facebook get more support from their social ties and are half as likely to be socially isolated as the average American. The data also show that social networking sites such as Facebook revive […]

3-Minute Retreat: We Are on a Mission

Joe Paprocki

As we start the month of September and look forward to Catechetical Sunday and a new year of faith formation, I’ll be sharing my reflections on several 3-Minute Retreats the next few weeks. Please add your own reflections on this retreat in the comments. Now before another busy week begins, take a quiet moment to pray for your ministry and for your fellow catechists. Relationships have a way of changing us. Perhaps that’s why we […]