Guided Reflection on the Celebration of Confirmation

It’s helpful to take some time after a celebration of Confirmation to reflect on the actions of the Rite and to help the newly confirmed recognize the graces experienced in the sacrament. At a gathering sometime soon after the Confirmation Mass, lead young people in a guided reflection to process their experience of the sacrament. Prepare to share the reflection by reading it through ahead of time. During the session you may wish to use […]

2024: A Year of Prayer in Preparation for Jubilee 2025

As I’ve shared previously, Pope Francis has announced a Jubilee Year for 2025 with the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.” In preparation for the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis asked Catholics to prepare by dedicating time in 2023 to studying the documents of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis has called for 2024 to be a Year of Prayer. The Jubilee website suggests the following: In preparation for the Jubilee, dioceses are invited to promote initiatives […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Jaqueline Romo

I tend to be a “word” person: writing blog posts, articles, and books. Thus, it stands to reason that, for all the years that I kept a prayer journal, I filled it with words. It never occurred to me to express myself in other ways beyond words. In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, my guest is Jaqueline Romo, campus minister at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago. She talks about creative journaling, which invites […]

Coloring as Prayer

We sometimes think of coloring as “child’s play,” and while children especially enjoy coloring, today we know that coloring is being enjoyed by people of all ages. They recognize that it can help to reduce stress, spark creativity, stimulate the brain, promote mindfulness, and just be fun! We can add to that list that people are discovering that coloring can be a form of prayer. Sometimes, when it comes to teaching others to pray, they […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Jude Huntz

For many people, journaling is a key component of their prayer lives. I journaled on and off for more than 30 years (until, like Forrest Gump’s cross-country running, one day I just stopped). Journaling can help a person express feelings more concretely and also provides an archive of prayer that can be returned to from time to time. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Prayer, my guest is Jude Huntz, a chaplain at the University of […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Lord’s Prayer

We continue to journey through the National Eucharistic Revival and reflect on the parts of the Mass and what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. Our inspiration is my book, Living the Mass: How One Hour a Week Can Change Your Life, co-authored by Fr. Dominic Grassi. This time, we look at the Lord’s Prayer and reflect on how it helps us to begin the work of letting […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Praying with Words or in Silence

Isn’t it funny how, when you’ve known someone for a long time, you can tell by the look on his or her face what she or he is trying to say to you? We don’t always need words to communicate with someone. By the same token, it can be difficult to know how someone truly feels unless one puts it into words! When it comes to our prayer lives, at times we can rely on […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Jonathan Schott

Young adults in college are seekers in so many respects. They are seeking for identity, relationships, careers, and for meaning in their lives. Prayer is a relationship, and relationships thrive on communication: talking and listening to one another. In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, we turn to Deacon Jonathan Schott, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY. Jonathan enlightens us about the need to encourage young people to talk […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Amy Welborn

In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, Amy Welborn, popular blogger, speaker, and writer, shares her insights about praying with traditional prayers. Amy is the author of many books, including The Words We Pray and her most recent book, the Loyola Kids Book of Seasons, Feasts, and Celebrations. Here, she shares about what St. Paul means when he writes, “We do not know how to pray as we ought.” (Romans 8:26)  For more information about […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Fr. Dominic Grassi

In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, we hear some wisdom from my long-time friend, Fr. Dominic Grassi. Fr. Dom was my Department Chairman for my first job as a religion teacher back in 1981! He and I are co-authors of Living the Mass: How One Hour a Week Can Change Your Life. A lifelong Chicagoan, Fr. Dom was ordained in 1973 and has been a pastor, a teacher, a counselor, a coach, a retreat and […]

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