The other day, my wife and I took our daughter to register for her first year of college at the University of Illinois, Champaign. Everything went very well and she got all of the classes she needed and we got to see a lot of the campus as well. While she was in the building registering, my wife and I had a chance to scope the grounds and find the Catholic Center! We weren’t about to introduce our daughter to her new home without letting her know where the Catholics go! After she finished registration and we were heading back toward the other side of campus, we stopped in the Catholic chapel to say a prayer. We didn’t say a word to her about what we expected of her but I’m sure she got the message that when she leaves home, she takes her faith with her and this is the place where she can have that faith nourished. Whether she actually goes or not…God alone knows. However, she won’t be able to tell us that she didn’t know where the chapel was!
About Joe Paprocki
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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.
Congrats to you on such a big step! My stepson attends college a block away from the cathedral in our diocese. I try to encourage him all the time to find out what’s going on there and actually attend something. They even offer confession on campus at certain times. {sigh} Oh well, this is one of those times when I have to step back and let him come into his own on this one.
I hope your dd has a fantastic first year!
Thanks, Ali…it is indeed a big step and an exercise in letting go and trusting!