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.

A Shout Out to Des Moines, IA

Joe Paprocki

Recently, I had the pleasure of doing a day-long presentation on A Church on the Move: 52 Ways to Get Mission and Mercy in Motion for the Diocese of Des Moines, IA. The event was sponsored by the Catechetical Leaders Association of the Diocese of Des Moines (CLADD) and was attended by about 80 pastoral ministers: pastors, deacons, catechetical leaders, youth ministers, diocesan personnel, and parish staff members. Thanks to John Gaffney, Director for the […]

Saint Paul by Bartolomeo Montagna (cropped)

Saint Paul and How to Evangelize in the 21st Century

Joe Paprocki

By now, you are probably aware of a new movie about to be released: Paul, Apostle of Christ, starring James Faulkner as St. Paul and Jim Caviezel as St. Luke. The movie, to be released next week, is rated PG-13 and tells the story of how “two men struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit in order to live out the Gospel of Jesus.” (IMDB) As happened when the Church celebrated […]

How to Be a More Evangelizing Catechist #7: Touch the Heart

Joe Paprocki

In his research about why some things “go viral” on social media, author Jonah Berger discovered that one of the main reasons is that the item provokes emotion, whether good or bad. Think about it: if you had a nickel for each post you’ve seen about a cute kitten, you’d be rich! People share things that make others reach for a tissue. By the same token, negative emotions can result in sharing, such as when a […]

Easter Season with the First Disciples

Joe Paprocki

Spend Easter season sharing the joy of the first disciples by downloading the free reflection booklet by Bob Burnham. Reflect on scenes from the lives of: St. Mary Magdalene St. Peter Cleopas on the road to Emmaus St. Thomas St. Stephen St. Paul. As they encountered Jesus in the days and weeks after the Resurrection, we are called to share the Good News in our day and age. Ponder the stories of these early disciples, […]

How to Be a More Evangelizing Catechist #6: Invite! Invite! Invite!

Joe Paprocki

Ultimately, a TV commercial is an invitation: after presenting to you all of the information about their amazing product or service, the sponsors invite you to join “other satisfied customers.” They then provide you with a phone number, a website address, and convenient locations so that you can avoid being left out. At the heart of Jesus’ message is an invitation. In fact, the Gospels tell us that Jesus was constantly inviting people to follow […]

Visual Stimulation for Those Children Who Hear “Wah-Wah-Wah-Wah”

Joe Paprocki

I’m sure you are familiar with the sound depiction of adults speaking in any of the Charlie Brown cartoons—a sound created by a trombone similar to “wah-wah-wah-wah.” For some visual learners, this is what a teacher’s voice can sound like. As a visual learner myself, I realize that often when I am listening to instructions, at some point the voice does indeed sound like the trombone-noise from a Charlie Brown cartoon! What does it mean […]

How to Be a More Evangelizing Catechist #5: Proclaim That Jesus Is Alive!

Joe Paprocki

One of the most often-used phrases in TV commercials is, “But wait, there’s more!” Just when you think you’ve heard it all and that it can’t get any better, the seller doubles down and tells you that it’s about to get even better—beyond your wildest dreams! (“Order now and get a second set free!”) In our proclamation of the Gospel, we have a “But wait, there’s more!” moment: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! Just when […]

How to Be a More Evangelizing Catechist #4: Don’t Avoid the Cross

Joe Paprocki

It is a fairly common practice in advertising to garner attention by making a claim about a product or service that is counterintuitive or defies commonly accepted reasoning. For example: a diet plan promises that you can lose weight in 30 days while eating all the bacon you want; a light beer promises robust flavor with only 64 calories; a body lotion promises to physically reshape your body; a bracelet promises to relieve arthritic pain. […]

Celebrating five years with Pope Francis

Happy Fifth Anniversary Papa Francesco!

Joe Paprocki

I remember just five years ago, sitting at my desk here at Loyola Press, and excitedly watching along with the rest of the world as we were introduced to our new Pope, Francis, who humbly asked us to pray for him. In these five short years, we have come to know this great man as a truly holy follower of Jesus Christ. As a Jesuit ministry, Loyola Press is particularly proud to be associated with our […]

How to Be a More Evangelizing Catechist #3: Proclaim Jesus’ Mighty Deeds

Joe Paprocki

Some years ago, TV commercials for a food-processing appliance proudly proclaimed that this new innovation “slices, dices, and makes Julienne Fries!” Today, that phrase continues to be used, tongue-in-cheek, to convince people of the amazing capabilities of any new gadget and is emblematic of what we refer to as the advertising “claim”—the part of the ad that seeks to create a perception of superiority. It is the job of the advertiser to then convince consumers […]