Being a Catechist Archives - Page 83 of 142

Faith that is CAUGHT, not TAUGHT – What Makes a Message “Contagious”

In ministerial circles, it is not uncommon to hear the phrase “Faith is caught, not taught.”The point of the phrase is that faith is something that involves more than just transmitting information. With that in mind, it might be helpful to know just what makes a message go “viral” – what makes a message “contagious.” Seeking answers, I recently read a very good book: Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger (Simon & Schuster) […]

End of the Year Assessment

Joe Paprocki

This coming Monday, I will do a formal assessment to see to what extent my 6th graders have grasped the BIG ideas I attempted to teach them this year in religious education! First, we will do a Jeopardy-like review using a Powerpoint version of the game that I found online a couple of years ago. You can manipulate this according to your own needs, changing categories, questions, and answers and hyperlinking from the “game board” […]

“We’re Learning About Jesus in World History!”

Joe Paprocki

Last evening’s session was very enjoyable on a number of levels. First and foremost, I had an opportunity to once again teach an entire class and I think the kids enjoyed getting back to a sense of normalcy after all of the special events they were a part of over the last six weeks. We spent the evening focusing one more time on the Bible. The activity with this Bible worksheet (Session 23 Bible Worksheet […]

Encountering God in the Bible

Joe Paprocki

After what seemed like an endless string of interruptions (days off, practices for Seder Meal, Lenten and Holy Week prayer services, etc.) in our regular teaching schedule, I finally get to teach a lesson this coming Monday! With only 3 classes left for teaching, I am going to do one more session on the Bible this Monday before sending their Bibles home with them. Here’s my plan: Session 23 – Encountering God in the Bible Session […]

Jury Duty Today – Living Stations Tonight

Joe Paprocki

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 […]

Well-Intentioned Memes – Bad Theology/Catechesis

Joe Paprocki

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, […]

Lenten Family Mission – Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish, Park Ridge, IL

Joe Paprocki

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 […]

A “Crash Course” on Papal Conclaves!

Joe Paprocki

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 […]

Digital Resources for Hispanic Catholics – Discípulos en la Edad Digital

Joe Paprocki

Recently, my very talented friend Adrián Alberto Herrerra, Associate Director for Spanish Language Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, did a presentation in Spanish for the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT, on Discipleship and Digital Media (Discípulos en la Edad Digital). In his presentation, Adrián offered a substantial list of links to Online resources for Hispanic Catholics. He was very generous to share those with me and, with his blessing, I am sharing them with you. ¡Gracias, Adrián! […]

Using the Jesus of Nazareth Film to Prepare for Holy Week

Joe Paprocki

The current TV mini-series The Bible is drawing large audiences and mixed reviews from critics. I haven’t watched it yet but plan to tune in especially for the New Testament segments. As always, watch with a critical eye and take note of discrepancies with Scripture (Hollywood likes to embellish!) to point out to those you teach. In the meantime, a film that has withstood the test of time is Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth. An […]