2017 - Page 13 of 26 - Catechist's Journey

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists

Openness to the Church

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Some of the greatest years of my life have been spent catechizing in parochial religious education programs and teaching theology at a Catholic college preparatory school in the Diocese of Birmingham. In my teaching, I have always strived to pass on the Deposit of Faith by being an authentic witness of the saving power of God. Catechists possess an awesome responsibility to carry […]

Teaching the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist

Joe Paprocki

Various studies in recent years have revealed a disturbing fact: less than half of people who identify as Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a central tenet of our Catholic faith. We believe that, in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is truly though mysteriously present to us under the appearance of ordinary bread and wine. Is this a difficult concept to teach to children […]

The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Openness to the Church (Online Retreat Week 3)

Joe Paprocki

Welcome once again to the Spirituality of the Catechist, our online retreat. Remember that you can join in at any time, starting with today’s post or going back to catch up on earlier weeks. In this Week Three, we look at the second characteristic of a catechist’s spirituality: An Openness to the Church. Whether you are a long-time catechist or starting for the first time this fall, your stories are inspiring as we share with […]

2017 Catholic Press Association Book Awards for Loyola Press

Award-Winning Catholic Books from Loyola Press

Joe Paprocki

I’m excited to announce that my book A Church on the Move: 52 Ways to Get Mission and Mercy in Motion received second-place honors in the Pastoral Ministry category of the 2017 Catholic Press Association Book Awards. The judges said: “This book provides practical, realistic strategies for the clergy, lay leaders and faithful to work at transforming parish life to lead others to an encounter with the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. This is a […]

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: Is That Your Final Answer?

Megan Arteaga

Editor’s note: This post is one in a series inspired by Joe Paprocki’s book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness. In the book, Joe introduces each key with a fun or thought-provoking question. Each Friday we’ll share an excerpt from 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness that poses a question, followed by a response by a catechist or catechetical leader. Is that your final answer? That’s the question asked of every contestant on the television quiz show […]

Don’t Chase God; Be Caught Instead

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Craig, Janice, and their two young daughters could always be counted on to participate in parish family life programs. By all accounts Craig was the super-Catholic dad: a humble man of faith; a role model for other dads. After a particularly long afternoon of family-ministry activities, I noticed Craig sitting in a far corner of the church lawn. I wandered over, sat beside […]

The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Openness to God (Online Retreat Week 2)

Joe Paprocki

Welcome back to the Spirituality of the Catechist, our online retreat. This week we’ll look at the first characteristic of our spirituality: An Openness to God. Thank you for posting your introductions last week as we began our retreat. Your stories were very inspiring, and they helped to form a sense of community among us retreatants. If you’re just joining us, you can read the overview and introductions here (Feel free to add your own!) […]

Now Here: The Effective Catechetical Leader Series

Joe Paprocki

Just about 20 years ago, I was minding my own business at the Office for Catechesis in the Archdiocese of Chicago when Loyola Press approached me and asked me to contribute to a new series they were working on in collaboration with NCCL called The Effective DRE Skills Development Series. Not only did the series go on to touch the lives of numerous catechetical leaders, the contact with Loyola Press eventually led to an invitation to […]

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: What Do You Have That Cannot Be Taken Away?

Joyce Donahue

Editor’s note: This post is one in a series inspired by Joe Paprocki’s book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness. In the book, Joe introduces each key with a fun or thought-provoking question. Each Friday we’ll share an excerpt from 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness that poses a question, followed by a response by a catechist or catechetical leader. What do you have that cannot be taken away? If you can identify and cultivate the answer […]

The Six Characteristics of the Spirituality of the Catechist

Julianne Stanz

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Read the overview post here. “Catechists must have a deep spirituality.” (Guide for Catechists 6) One of my favorite Disney movies is Big Hero 6. The story centers around a computer prodigy named Hiro who forms a team of superheroes to combat an evil villain. Along the way, these tiny superheroes realize that while each of them have their own special gifts, they […]