Articles by Joe Paprocki

About Joe Paprocki

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.

The Six Tasks of Catechesis #3: Promoting Moral Formation

Joe Paprocki

Recently, we began a series here on my blog about the six tasks of catechesis, focusing on the notion that God is calling each of us to fulfill a role that he has planned for us. Just as actors rely on certain strategies to immerse themselves in character, we too rely on certain strategies to “immerse” ourselves in the role that God is calling us to fill: the “best version of ourselves” (to borrow a phrase from […]

The Six Tasks of Catechesis #2: Promoting Knowledge of Liturgy & Sacraments

Joe Paprocki

The Six Tasks of Catechesis #1: Promoting Knowledge of the Faith

Joe Paprocki

Yesterday, we began a series here on my blog about the six tasks of catechesis, focusing on the notion that God is calling each of us to fulfill a role that he has planned for us. Just as actors rely on certain strategies to immerse themselves in character, we too rely on certain strategies to “immerse” ourselves in the role that God is calling us to fill: the “best version of ourselves” (to borrow a phrase from […]

The Six Tasks of Catechesis: Immersing Ourselves in Character

Joe Paprocki

The Role of a Lifetime In the Beatitudes, Jesus said that it was “blessed” to be “single-hearted.” (Mt 5:8). Often, this verse is translated as “pure of heart” or “clean of heart,” both of which lose punch in translation. To most people, to be “pure of heart” or “clean of heart” means to not have any thoughts that are tainted by impurity or hatred. True enough, however, the real meaning of being single-hearted is to […]

Help For “New” Catechetical Leaders: Through the Year with the DRE

Joe Paprocki

Back in the day, when I was a “baby” DRE (Director of Religious Education), I turned to a nifty book for help. It was written by Gail McKenna and it was titled Through the Year with the DRE: A Seasonal Guide for Christian Educators (Paulist Press). The book is long out of print, however, the idea stayed with me and inspired me to create a chart a few years ago outlining the “typical” responsibilities that […]

Martha is a Big Girl and Can Take Care of Herself!

Joe Paprocki

This Sunday’s Gospel of the story of Martha and Mary (Lk 10:38-42) often results in people rallying to support poor Martha who is chided by Jesus for being anxious about many things. Too often, the figures of Martha and Mary are seen as representing the contemplative (Mary) and active (Martha) lives. Folks who are accustomed to handling details concerning hospitality rush to Martha’s aid saying that, if it were not for her and people like […]

State Farm Shouldn’t Be the Only Good Neighbor

Joe Paprocki

For years, State Farm Insurance has promoted itself as being a “good neighbor” with its popular jingle, “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRS4shfH1Pw The gospel for this Sunday challenges us to be a good neighbor but adds a definition for what it means to be a good neighbor: it means to be one who shows mercy. Being a good neighbor means more than just maintaining a clean lawn and keeping the noise […]

Catechetical Sunday (9/15/13) – Open the Door of Faith

Joe Paprocki

This year, the Church will celebrate Catechetical Sunday on September 15, 2013, and will focus on the theme “Open the Door of Faith.” As always, and appropriately so, catechists will be called forth in their parishes to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday […]

Why Does God Refer to Himself as a “Jealous God?”

Joe Paprocki

Not too long ago, there was a TV commercial for a mobile phone that showed a young couple about to enjoy a romantic dinner at a restaurant. As the woman is talking, she sees her date look down toward his lap. “Did you just check the game on your phone?” she asks. He quickly denies it saying, “What am I, like some kind of ‘summoner’ who can just summon footage to his phone like that? C’mon.” […]

A Customer Spends the Day at Loyola Press (and Becomes a Friend!)

Joe Paprocki

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Patty Cadena, a catechetical leader from the Diocese of Oakland, CA, telling me that she and her husband would be vacationing in the Chicago area. She said she uses my books in her RCIA and asked if there was a chance that we could meet if she visited Loyola Press. Luckily, my schedule had me in Chicago all week so I told her they could […]