Closing the Year

I believe I’ve been paid the ultimate compliment from an 8th grade student who wrote those words on his evaluation: “flippin’ sweet class, Dude!” That’s a first for me! 🙂 I’d like to borrow his language to describe how things went last night: it was “flippin sweet!” It was one of those times when everything went according to plan and, in fact, exceeded my expectations. This was the last class that I will be teaching them (I’m […]

Student Evaluation Form

Thanks to the folks who sent me some ideas about a student evaluation of the catechist. I’ve designed my own form which is based specifically on what we covered this year and on specific features of my sessions. Still, I’m sure that you can glean some ideas from this form to design one to fit your own needs. Your feedback and/or questions on the design and content of this form are welcome! Student Evaluation of […]

Inviting Students to Evaluate

One of the things I plan on doing this Monday evening is having the kids complete an evaluation of their experience with me this past year. I often did this when I was a high school religion teacher and I found the feedback very helpful. I’ll have to formulate some kind of an evaluation form for them to use…that is, unless someone out there already has one!!! If so, I’d love to see it if […]

Free Webinar: Growing as a Catechist

Facilitator: Joe Paprocki, DMin Brought to you by Loyola Press, A Jesuit Ministry Tuesday, April 27, 2010 7:00 – 7:45 p.m. (CST) [Find out what time this is for you.] At this time of the year, many catechists are coming to the end of their teaching schedules. This is a good time to pause and take stock—to engage in a self-evaluation in order to grow as a catechist. In this Webinar, Joe Paprocki invites catechists […]

Easter Season Lessons?

Happy Easter everyone!!! I received the following email from Margaret Ann, asking for some help. Hi Joe, I started putting together my next Family Program for the Home Schooler Rel. Ed. folks at my parish. I’m thinking along the lines of the Easter Season Readings/Feast Days – Ascension, Pentecost. I am leaning on the theme of New Growth, Gardening, Spring, Rogation Days (the ritual of blessing the fields – this year they are May 10, 11, […]

New Edition of Catholic Youth Bible

From time to time, people ask me about Bibles to use with young people. Here’s a review of the new edition of the Catholic Youth Bible from Brigid Wolff, the Coordinator of the Chicago Catholic Scripture School. A new edition of The Catholic Youth Bible has been released and is now available for purchase for $26.95 in paperback. This edition uses the New American Bible (NAB) rather than the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of […]

Congratulations Kevin Cody!

Congratulations to my friend Kevin Cody, DRE at St. Alphonsus in Lemont, IL, on his installation as president of the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors (NPCD) which is part of the NCEA (National Catholic Education Association). Here’s the story as reported in the current issue of The Sower, the newsletter of the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago. New President of NPCD Kevin Cody – Catechetical Leader at St. […]

Alleluia! The Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil last night at St. Julie Billiart Parish in Tinley Park was exquisite! What a beautiful experience of celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord! Here are the catechumens and candidates gathered around the soon-to-be-lit fire. The Easter fire is lit in the darkened narthex of the church. The Deacon did a wonderful job of singing the Exsultet…the Easter Proclamation…in the darkened church lit now by the candles held by all the faithful. The […]

He is Risen!

We already knew the ending to this story but isn’t it grand to finally reach the point in our liturgical calendar where we celebrate it with no restraint?! May the grace and peace of our Risen Lord be with you always! Alleluia!

Good Friday Graces

The graces of the Triduum continue to flow as we marked the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion and the Veneration of the Cross on this Good Friday at St. Julie Billart Parish in Tinley Park (this is where my wife and I usually attend Mass on Sundays).                 The solemn beginning in which we prostrate ourselves (through the priest and deacon) before the Cross reminds us of the […]

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