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Intermediate Grades

Remember!

Here is my lesson plan for this evening! Tuesday, January 14, 2014 BIG IDEA: “Remember all my commands!” Scripture: Numbers 15:37-41 Learning Outcome: As a result of this session, students will be able to recall and articulate the major concepts covered in the first half of the year, especially the Ten Commandments Preliminaries/Engage (20 mins) As they enter, have the young people write down one thing they remember learning during the first half of the […]

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Joe's Comings and Goings

More Pics from N’awlins!

Thanks to my friend and colleague, Carol, I have some more pics to share from New Orleans (Hofinger Catechetical Conference). Here I am with Carrie as we prepare to do a product showcase featuring the Finding God bilingual program.           Here I am doing my presentation on my new book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ.             This is my attempt […]

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Comings & Goings

Under the Influence – in N’awlins!

My new book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ, made its debut in the great city of New Orleans this past weekend at the Hofinger Catechetical Conference. We were a bit nervous at first because of a delay in shipping but, thanks be to God, the books arrived and the rush was on to buy them and so many people were kind enough to ask me to sign their copy! […]

crown
Intermediate Grades

If I Were King or Queen for a Day

As it turns out, our session was canceled last evening due to the extreme conditions here in Chicago. Thankfully, temps are on the way back up to more normal frigid Chicago standards! In the meantime, I took the opportunity to look ahead and rearrange the schedule a bit, and I see that after we review next week, we’ll be ready to begin exploring the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel, beginning with a couple of […]

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Intermediate Grades

Starting the 2nd Half of the Year by Reviewing the 1st Half

After 2 weeks off for the Christmas holidays, religious education sessions are scheduled to be back in session tomorrow evening. Of course, we’re keeping an eye on the weather here in Chicago. Schools are closed today with a foot of snow on the ground and temps at -10 degrees (for a high!). Tomorrow it’s supposed to get up to a balmy zero degrees for a high! In the Book of Job, God responds to Job’s laments […]

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Books

Under the Influence of Jesus – My New Book is Now Available!

Yesterday was my first day back at work after the Christmas break and it turns out that Santa was still in the giving mood! I was surprised to receive a copy of my new book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ. I believe this book will be a wonderful tool for the New Evangelization! In it, I capture the essence of what happens to a person when he or she […]

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Books

My New Book Is Available for Pre-Order!

During the holidays, we enjoy family, good friends, good food, and yes, a few good drinks! Responsibly enjoying a drink or two loosens up our inhibitions. Isn’t it interesting, then, to note that the very first impression that non-Christians had of Christians was NOT that they were sourpusses or judgmental curmudgeons but that they were drunk (Acts 2:13)? I doubt that the crowds saw the Apostles fumbling, slurring words, acting obnoxiously, moving haltingly, staring with […]

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RCIA

Podcast on Catholic Identity in the RCIA

When I was in Santa Clara in November, I had the opportunity to see good friends Nick Wagner and Diana Macalintal (the best looking couple in ministry!) who run TeamRCIA, an excellent Web site for those working in RCIA ministry. Nick and Diana invited me to participate in a Podcast devoted to the topic of “How to build a strong Catholic identity in the RCIA.” They were kind enough to share that podcast with me. […]

9 Advent Attitudes
Advent

9 Advent Attitudes – #9: Practicing Mindfulness

Advent is, above all else, a season of hope – a virtue that is all too rare in our world. To live as a person of hope is to behave in such a manner as to draw suspicion that we are behaving somewhat erratically as far as worldly norms go. This new type of behavior – what some may even call erratic behavior (the behavior that led people to conclude that the Apostles were “under […]

9 Advent Attitudes
Advent

9 Advent Attitudes – #8: Remaining Even-Keeled

Advent is, above all else, a season of hope—a virtue that is all too rare in our world. To live as a person of hope is to behave in such a manner as to draw suspicion that we are behaving somewhat erratically as far as worldly norms go. This new type of behavior—what some may even call erratic behavior (the behavior that led people to conclude that the Apostles were “under the influence” on Pentecost)—is […]