More on the “Coach Approach”

The other day, I posted on the parallels between coaching and serving as a catechist. That stirred up the following conversation between a DRE and one of her catechists who is indeed also a coach. Enjoy!   Hi Joe!  In response to your latest Catechist’s Journey email, I asked one of my catechists if he saw a connection between coaching and being a catechist.  Scott coaches basketball and then “cleans up” and comes to teach […]

Rest in Peace, Uncle Joe!

I’m saddened this morning by the loss of my Uncle Joe, my Dad’s younger brother, and my last living uncle. Next to my Dad, he was one of the men I admired most in life and I am proud to have been named after him. He attended the same high school I did – St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago – and had a long and fruitful association with the Jesuits. He was always very […]

The Catechist as COACH

  I’m always amazed at how many men I see coaching their kids’ soccer, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and even lacrosse teams! And yet, so few men feel called to serve as a catechist when, in my mind, it is another form of coaching. Perhaps too many men view being a catechist as a feminine/nurturing role that they are not comfortable with. Fortunately, a growing number of men are discovering how to serve as catechists in […]

A More Worshipful Catechesis

The General Directory for Catechesis (#85) tells us that the most effective catechesis takes place within a climate of prayer. With that in mind, I constantly urge catechists to do all they can to make their sessions resemble going to church more than going to school. We do this by incorporating the language of liturgy—a language of mystery that includes sign, symbol, and ritual—into our catechetical sessions. Following is a template that I offer to […]

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