Pop-Up Catechesis: Pentecost and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Pop-Up Catechesis with Joe Paprocki

Recently, I enjoyed watching Death on the Nile, a Hercule Poirot mystery in which the Belgian detective uses his keen skills to gather clues leading to the solving of a complex crime. Like all detectives who themselves did not witness the crimes they are investigating, Poirot relies on his skills of observation to gather clues leading to an irrefutable conclusion. As we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, we are reminded that we, too, must rely on our skills of observation to gather clues that lead to the irrefutable conclusion that the Holy Spirit is in our midst. We do not physically see the Holy Spirit as we would see any other person or being; however, we can observe the evidence of the presence and workings of the Holy Spirit in our own lives and in the lives of others. The Church teaches us to look for the following clues of the effects of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. The majority of these fruits are traced to this famous passage from the Letter to the Galatians: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (5:22–23) In other words, we provide evidence of the Holy Spirit in our lives by the way we live. In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore Pentecost and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit—the clues that lead to the irrefutable conclusion that the Holy Spirit is at work!

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About Joe Paprocki 2758 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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