Discipleship Archives - Page 2 of 6

Saint Martin de Porres by Kathryn Seckman Kirsch © Loyola Press. All rights reserved.

The Saints as Missionary Disciples: St. Martin de Porres

This is part two of a series exploring saints who lived as missionary disciples. Amid all the upheaval that we have recently undergone and are still going through, we sometimes forget that the saints also lived during times of intense disunity, strife, and racial tension. St. Martin de Porres reminds us of the necessity of compassion, particularly during times of difficulty and division. What can his witness teach us about missionary discipleship? Let’s explore his […]

The Saints as Missionary Disciples: St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Julianne Stanz

This is part one of a series exploring saints who lived as missionary disciples. When it comes to missionary discipleship, we naturally think of the saints. They lived extraordinary lives of holiness, often under great pressure or demanding conditions. The fruit of their lives resulted in miracles that were the fruit of their faithfulness and devotion to God, confirmed with “signs and wonders and mighty works.” (2 Corinthians 12:12) Of course, we might find it […]

four children giving group high-five -photo by Robert Kneschke/EyeEm/Getty Images

What Does Discipleship Look Like for Children?

Joe Paprocki

When we talk about discipleship, we tend to have adults in mind—and rightly so, since all of our efforts at forming disciples should be oriented toward adult discipleship. At the same time, all of the children who have been baptized and have been welcomed to the Table of the Lord (the Eucharist) must be considered fellow disciples. But what does discipleship look like for children? Let’s explore this! I’d like to begin by borrowing from […]

Prayer of an Aging Disciple

Joe Paprocki

Author Barbara Lee reminds us that “We are all aging from the day we are born.” And the call to discipleship doesn’t end when we turn a certain age, though how we live that call might. Consider your continuing call to discipleship by praying the “Prayer of an Aging Disciple.” This prayer, excerpted from Barbara’s new book, Answering God’s Call: A Scripture-Based Journey for Older Adults, is presented in three formats: Full-color printable prayer designed […]

6 Keys to a More Evangelizing Catechesis - text with mosaic tiles surrounding it

Six Keys to a More Evangelizing Catechesis: Storytelling

Joe Paprocki

We start today a new series, in which I will explore six keys to making our faith formation experiences more evangelizing. We begin with the art of storytelling, which just happened to be Jesus’ favorite way of teaching! “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” This Native American proverb captures the essence of the power of […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: How Parents Witness Faith to Their Children

Joe Paprocki

I’ll never forget the image. I was about eight years old, and I got up in what I thought was the middle of the night to go to the bathroom (turns out it was only about 11:30 p.m.), and as I passed my parents’ bedroom, I saw my dad on his knees saying his prayers. I knew he was a man of faith who went to church every Sunday, but I had not witnessed this […]

Easter lily - © Loyola Press. All rights reserved.

Everyday Evangelization for the Easter Season

Julianne Stanz

The Bible is, at its heart, a love story, and Easter reveals the depth of God’s love for us. Within Easter rests the profound truth of our faith: Jesus Christ was crucified, died, and was buried, and rose again on the third day. He died and rose for each one of us. He died and rose because he loves us. This love compels us to shout, “I have seen the Lord!” just as Mary Magdalene […]

Everyday Evangelization: Make Proclaiming the Good News a New Year’s Resolution

Joe Paprocki

Too often, we think of evangelization as something done by either professionals or fanatics. We can’t see ourselves going door-to-door or walking up to people and asking them if they’ve been saved or have encountered Christ. But there are other ways of evangelizing in our everyday lives. In my book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ, I talk about a evangelizing strategy that I refer to as “spiritual residue”—leaving traces […]

Parent Sacramental Prep and Evangelization Videos

Joe Paprocki

Even before the pandemic hit, many catechetical ministers were reimagining their approaches to faith formation, with an eye toward a greater emphasis on evangelization. Of the many opportunities available to us to evangelize, one prominent one is parent sacramental preparation gatherings. Recently, I was asked by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to put together three videos on the topic of sacramental preparation as an opportunity for evangelization with an emphasis on First […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: The Lessons of the Magi at Epiphany

Joe Paprocki

As we look forward to the Feast of the Epiphany, it’s important to realize that this is much more than a sentimental Christmas story for children, and its message isn’t limited to the notion that Jesus, the Savior, is revealed to the whole world, as critical as that point is. In this story, we also find a model for discipleship in the Magi (aka, the Three Wise Men or Three Kings). In this episode of Pop-Up […]