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 40 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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Forming Catechists, Part One: Being

Joe Paprocki

Early autumn, which coincides with the beginning of many religious education programs, is a good time to pay attention to forming catechists—especially those who are new to the ministry and are eager to learn the knowledge and skills needed to proclaim the Good News effectively! With that in mind, we’re going to take a closer look at the three dimensions of catechist formation: Being, Knowing, and Doing. These will ensure that your catechists are fully […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: A Walk Through the Mass—The Concluding Blessing and Dismissal

Joe Paprocki

I remember once while waiting for a flight at the airport, a small child was doing some simple gymnastics in the terminal and repeatedly saying, “Mommy, look! Mommy, look!” The child wanted nothing more than for her mom to look upon her with approval. That’s what a blessing is: to look upon (or be looked upon) with approval. We bless our children and all other people when we let our gaze fall upon them with […]

Peace Prayer Coloring Pages

Joe Paprocki

The Peace Prayer, usually associated with St. Francis of Assisi, is a popular traditional prayer. Download a coloring page to use in introducing or meditating on this prayer’s famous first line, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” The Spanish version, “Señor, haz de mí un instrumento de tu paz,” is also available as a coloring page. The Peace Prayer is part of Finding God and Christ Our Life sessions in fourth and eighth […]

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Helping Young People See a Path by Setting Goals

Joe Paprocki

I have long-argued that one of the problems with how we form people in faith is that we don’t present Catholicism as a “spiritual path.” Too often, we present it as a set of doctrines to adhere to or simply a way of belonging to a group of like-minded people. This explains why so many young people end up being attracted by New Age movements or Eastern religions that present themselves as a spiritual path […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: A Walk Through the Mass—Holy Communion

Joe Paprocki

When we eat something, we can use the word “consume,” meaning that we not only take in certain foods, but that we totally absorb them. Indeed, much of what we eat is absorbed into the bloodstream, which is why we say, “You are what you eat.” Ultimately, what we consume, we end up being consumed by! If we consume junk food, too much junk becomes a part of us, and we are consumed by such […]

Resources for Putting Parents First During the Catechetical Year

Joe Paprocki

Whenever we fly somewhere and listen to the instructions from the flight attendants, we are reminded that, if there is a sudden drop in pressure and the oxygen masks come down, adults should put their own masks on first and then assist their children in doing so. The logic is simple: adults will be needed to assist young people throughout the crisis and beyond. We need to take the same approach to our faith formation. […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: A Walk Through the Mass—The Lord’s Prayer

Joe Paprocki

We live in a culture that prizes independence. One of the biggest national holidays that we celebrate in the United States is, of course, Independence Day. When it comes to raising our children, we strive to prepare them to be autonomous and independent so that they can lead healthy and productive lives. In the spiritual life, however, there is no such thing as independence. Rather, the key to a healthy and thriving spiritual life is […]

Grandparents Reflect the Benignity of God

Joe Paprocki

Back in the day, one of the Fruits of the Spirit—kindness—went by a different name: benignity. Now, before we go any further, we need to point out that the word benign has connotations in our culture that do not lend to a good understanding of kindness. Of course, benign is the direct opposite of the word malignant, meaning something that actively destroys. For some reason, however, the word benign has come to basically mean neutral. While it’s good news to hear […]

Finding God in Beauty: Visio Divina

Joe Paprocki

Over the Church’s history, it was known—long before anyone had heard of multiple intelligences—that some people learned better through visuals. This was especially true during times when average folks were illiterate. Today, even though most people are literate, many people (including yours truly) consider themselves visual learners. For some people, visuals are also helpful for prayer experiences. For this reason, the Church has a tradition that parallels lectio divina (“divine reading” or reflection on the […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: A Walk Through the Mass—The Eucharistic Prayer

Joe Paprocki

These days, it is common to ask if an event will be in-person or virtual. While most people appreciate the convenience of virtual meetings, there is something to be said for in-person experiences. This is especially true the more intimate the relationship is. When children ask their parents to be present at one of their sporting events, a recital, or some other form of competition, they no doubt hope that presence will be real and […]