As we journey through this holiest of weeks, and especially the Triduum, I invite you to reflect and respond to one or both of the following questions: Which character(s) in the Passion story do you find most intriguing (whether they are inspiring or tragic) and why? If you could paint a picture or create a sculpture of one moment in the story of Christ’s Passion, what would it be and why? I invite you to share […]
So here I am doing my civic duty as a standby juror at the Bridgeview Courthouse! So far, I’ve had lots of time to get some writing done as I sit here waiting. We’ll see how long that lasts! Tonight, I’ll be taking my sixth graders to the Living Stations of the Cross being performed by our eighth graders. It is a good Holy Week experience for them and is done very prayerfully. Here is […]
If you inhabit Facebook, you know that memes are all the rage – these images with phrases or captions, often humorous, sarcastic, or inspirational, that spread like wildfire through social media. They can be great fun and they can also be a powerful tool for communication. There was a proliferation of these during the papal conclave, most of them very funny. Here’s one of my favorites: Occasionally, however, I come across some Catholic memes that, while well-intentioned, […]
This week, I have had the privilege of preaching a Lenten Family Mission at Mary, Seat of Wisdom parish in Park Ridge, IL, on the theme of the Mass (drawing from my book, Living the Mass). It has been an extraordinary experience of grace and I thank the good people of the parish for their strong turnout each evening of the Mission. Last night, I focused on the Liturgy of the Word and how it […]
On this Feast Day of St. Joseph, my patron saint, let’s take a moment to reflect on his quiet nature and how fitting that is for the Lenten season! Here is my post from a couple of years ago on St. Joseph along with an activity from my 40 Ideas for 40 Days of Lent. Happy Feast Day to all the Joe’s out there!
We have a new chief catechist! Pope Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, brings with him to the papacy an approach to catechesis as a “splendid mission” that is a “pillar of the Church.” These are words that the former Cardinal Bergoglio used to celebrate a Day of the Catechist in Buenos Aries in 2010. What else did he say about catechesis and catechists? Here’s a sample: He expressed gratitude for the “silent and committed dedication” of […]
We rejoice at the announcement of the papacy of Francis I, a Jesuit Pope! The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenes Aires becomes our 266th pope and we join him in praying for unity and peace. I’m excited about him being a Jesuit since I work for a Jesuit ministry, Loyola Press, and attended Jesuit schools for 12 years! Ignatian spirituality resonates with so many people and it’s wonderful to have a pope who understands […]
Last evening, I had only about 10 minutes with my 6th graders (after we attended a presentation in the gym) so I used the time to talk to them a little bit about the papal conclave. First, I asked if anyone knew what important event was happening in Rome beginning Tuesday and most of them knew that a new pope was being elected. Then, I asked if anyone knew the correct term for this event […]
As we approach the papal conclave, it is interesting to notice the coverage taking place. The media focuses on the political maneuvering taking place while Church spokespeople talk about prayer, discernment, and the movement of the Holy Spirit. Which is it? Both. We would be naive to think that there is no political maneuvering taking place among the cardinals at the conclave. At the same time, we would be just as naive to think that […]
I was tickled to learn that U.S. Catholic Magazine has chosen my book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness as its selection for their Book Club for March, 2013!!! Here’s what they say about the book: Review: In the contemporary dualism that sees spirituality as distinct from religion, Joe Paprocki admits that Christianity is too often confined to the latter and considered “less as a spiritual path and more as a code of ethics.” In […]
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