The current issue of RTJ’s Creative Catechist Magazine features an article that I wrote titled “How We Speak in the Kingdom of God” and describes how First Eucharist is an ideal time to introduce what I call a “language of mystery” to those we teach. Here’s a PDF of the article:
How We Speak in the Kingdom of God – Joe Paprocki article in RTJ’s Creative Catechist Magazine
With the ongoing pandemic and shelter-in-place restrictions, almost every aspect of our lives has changed, including major events such as graduations, showers, birthday parties, Confirmations, weddings, and First Holy Communions. For many children, a First Eucharist retreat is part of their preparation at the parish. Since the present crisis precludes such gatherings, I offer some suggestions for doing a First Eucharist retreat at home, in today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis. Here are some resources to […]
My lesson tonight includes the concept of God as king and of how we pray for the coming of the Kingdom. In American society, we sometimes have trouble teaching about the concept of the Kingdom of God – afterall, we won our independence from the “tyranny” of the King of England. Our present day understanding of a king is someone who is rich, powerful, self-centered,tyrannical, and arrogant. (In fact, once, on the Feast of Christ the […]
I’ve posted about this previously: when it comes to giving a child a gift to commemorate his or her reception of First Holy Communion, I propose that we do better than just putting money in a card! Of course, children are conditioned today to equate receiving money with the highest expression of generosity, and I realize that, by offering them some other gift, they may come to the conclusion that such a giver is “cheap.” Perhaps […]
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Hi Joe love the article!
It is so true that God’s language that He speaks to us is silence.
The suggestion of bringing the children to Adoration has been one of mine as well.
What do we do when our catechist teachers for first communion do not know what Adoration is? and this is true.(not a criticism to the amazing things they do).
How do we implement Adoration into a uniform curriculum so that all children in our faith get to experience the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and don’t have to wait til age 34 like me. I bring my whole family to Eucharistic adoration and the calming effects on myself and my family are amazing. I call it our Spiritual Massage.
Pope Benendict has been having brief moments of Eucharistic adoration after his masses so that the whole congregation gets to experience God’s Real Presence. (spending time in the Eucharist for a second really convert and deepen our relationship with God in ways that no priest or man can do.)
thanks for all you do!