Joe Paprocki, Author at Catechist's Journey

Catechists as Mystagogues - text over watercolor background by Sergey Ryumin/Moment/Getty Images

Catechists as Mystagogues: Exposing Unhealthy Paths and Narratives

A mystagogue is someone who not only teaches, but also leads and accompanies others into mystery (Directory for Catechesis 113). The mystagogue recognizes that our biblical understanding of mystery is not as something to be solved but as something to enter into, and as something that is revealed and yet remains hidden. One of the first ways that we as catechists do this is by helping those we teach to recognize unhealthy life paths or […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Ordinary Time

Joe Paprocki

In most sports, the playing calendar calls for a training season, a regular season, and a playoff season. The training season is focused on refining the skills needed for the regular season. The playoff season is the climax of the season’s competition, with the ultimate goal of achieving a championship. That leaves us with the regular season: the long stretch of time when players and teams are called to put their skills into practice on […]

illustration of priest near altar in Ordinary Time - by Kathryn Seckman Kirsch © Loyola Press. All rights reserved.

There’s Nothing Ordinary About Ordinary Time

Joe Paprocki

One of the most misunderstood concepts regarding the Church’s liturgical year is Ordinary Time. We tend to think of certain seasons of the Church year as special: Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. These seasons are indeed special. However, Ordinary Time is not referring to a season in which nothing special is happening. In fact, the Scripture readings teach us that there is nothing ordinary about Ordinary Time. Aware of God’s presence and continuing love, the […]

scared boy - Eakachai Leesin/Shutterstock.com

Helping Children to Cope with Violence and Tragedy—Again

Joe Paprocki

This year, we are marking the 15th anniversary of this blog, Catechist’s Journey. Sadly, within the first year of the blog’s creation, I found myself writing a post about helping children to cope with news about a mass shooting at Virginia Tech. A year later, I posted in the wake of a mass shooting at Northern Illinois University. Several years later, I posted again, as a result of the Newton mass shooting. Once again, within […]

Caring for the Environment—A Family Faith-Sharing Guide

Joe Paprocki

Care for God’s creation is a tenet of Catholic social teaching, a fact emphasized by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si’, “On Care for Our Common Home.” Help the families in your parish or school understand what the Church says about caring for the environment with this faith-sharing guide available for download here at Catechist’s Journey. Excerpted from 52 Simple Ways to Talk with Your Kids about Faith by Jim Campbell, the guide invites […]

Sharing the Wisdom of Time Through Storytelling: Jessica Hernandez

Joe Paprocki

As we continue our series of video reflections on Sharing the Wisdom of Time—reflecting on the wisdom learned from our elders—I invite you to enjoy a brief reflection from Jessica Hernandez, Coordinator for Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Des Moines, IA. Born in Mexico City, Jessica came to the United States at the age of seven with her mother in search of a better life. She graduated from Iowa State […]

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

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 […]

Our 15th Anniversary Giveaway: The Bible Blueprint

Joe Paprocki

We continue our year-long celebration of the 15th anniversary of the launch of Catechist’s Journey and publication of The Catechist’s Toolbox. Our celebration continues today with the chance to win a copy of my book, The Bible Blueprint: A Catholic’s Guide to Understanding and Embracing God’s Word. In The Bible Blueprint, I use the metaphor of a blueprint to help Catholics visualize the structure and organization of the Bible, leading to easier navigation of its […]

National Eucharistic Revival - bread and wine wheat and grapes

Eucharistic Revival Begins Soon!

Joe Paprocki

In just a few weeks, the Catholic Church in the United States will embark upon a three-year Eucharistic Revival in hopes of rekindling within Catholics “a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The revival will officially start with diocesan celebrations on the Feast of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ), June 19, 2022. In 2023, the focus will be on parishes and resources that will deepen Catholics’ understanding […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Easter and the Spiritual Works of Mercy, Part 2

Joe Paprocki

All Christians are called to be a “Resurrection People,” and that means that in our thoughts, words, and actions, we are to embody and exemplify hope and joy and to share that with others, especially those experiencing despair. For this reason, the 50 days of Easter provide a wonderful opportunity for us to practice the Spiritual Works of Mercy—acts of compassion by which we help our neighbors with their emotional and spiritual needs. In a […]