My Living the Sacraments Book Wins Gold!

Joe Paprocki Newsworthy

Illumination Award Gold for Living the Sacraments

I’m thrilled to pass along the news that my most recent book, Living the Sacraments: Finding God at the Intersection of Heaven and Earth, has been awarded a Gold Medal in the Catholic category of the Illumination Book Awards!

The Illumination Book Awards are designed to honor the year’s best new titles written and published with a Christian worldview. Here’s how Loyola Press describes my book:

Too many Catholics view the sacraments as isolated rites of passage disconnected from daily living, hoops to jump through, rather than as gateways to fulfilling lives centered on a spiritual relationship with God. Such a misunderstanding distances Catholics from the heart of their spiritual vitality and renders the Church less relevant to their experience.

In his friendly, practical, and accessible style, best-selling author and master teacher Joe Paprocki opens up this critical aspect of Catholic life in Living the Sacraments. He presents the sacraments as a spiritual path. Their power and grace open our hearts to ongoing encounter with God. By inviting readers to delve into the mystery of God’s self-revelation through the sacraments, by teaching the essence of each sacrament without being overbearing, and by inviting readers to reflect the divine image of God, Paprocki shows us that the sacraments allow us to experience God’s presence in Church rites and through ordinary, tangible experiences. We can, and should, celebrate the sacraments—but we are transformed as we live them.

I’m particularly excited to be in the company of six other Loyola Press books that are also being honored by the Illumination Awards! Here’s the full list of Loyola Press winners:

Christian Living: Gold: God Isn’t Finished with Me Yet by Barbara Lee

Catholic: Gold: Living the Sacraments by Joe Paprocki; Bronze: On Hope by Pope Francis

Education: Gold: Loyola Kids Book of Catholic Signs & Symbols by Amy Welborn

Spirituality: Bronze: The Prayer List by Jane Knuth

Self-Help/Recovery: Gold: Make Today Matter by Chris Lowney

Keepsake/Gift/Specialty Bible: Gold: Sharing the Wisdom of Time by Pope Francis and Friends

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About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
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.

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4 Comments

  1. Congratulations, Joe. You bested the Pope in your category! Keep on inviting others to experience God’s love in the Sacraments, and keep on encouraging your fellow catechists to do the same. Thank you for sharing your gifts of writing and catechesis with the world.

    Reply

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