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Comings & Goings

Viva NCCL!

I had a marvelous time at the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) in Las Vegas this week! Not because it was in Vegas (although that was fun) but because the NCCL is like a huge family reunion! I got to see so many good friends who are DREs, Diocesan directors and staff, publishers, and catechists and made MANY new friends, including a number of folks who visit my blog regularly…how nice to meet you […]

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Comings & Goings

Vegas and Springfield on my Mind

I haven’t had much Internet access for a couple of days, but I wanted to say hi and let you all know that I am having a fantastic time at the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership in Vegas. I’ll have pics and some thoughts by Thursday when I get home. Also, I’m happy to share that my brother Tom has been named the Bishop of Springfield, Il, which is about 3 hours from Chicago! http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=36235 […]

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Comings & Goings

Thank You, San Diego!

Many, many thanks to all the good folks who came out in San Diego over the past couple of days to talk about catechizing junior high kids! I had a great time and I hope you did too! Thanks to Mary Jo Waggoner and Enedina Saucedo for their hospitality and for arranging for this experience to take place. Thanks especially to mis amigos Miguel Arias and Luis Ramirez for all their hard work and for […]

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Comings & Goings

Chicago: 81, San Diego 65

No that’s not a basketball score! They are the temperatures in these respective cities! It just so happens that I am in San Diego right now and while it is a beautiful sunny day here, I can’t believe that Chicago is 15 degrees warmer! Anyway, I’m not complaining. It’s my first time in San Diego and it is beautiful! I’m looking forward to speaking to a group of junior high catechists and youth ministers tonight […]

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Joe's Comings and Goings

Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Last evening, my wife and I attended Holy Thursday Mass at Ascension Parish in Oak Park, IL. What a rich, beautiful, and moving experience! A profound beginning to the Triduum experience! The Washing of the Feet is particularly profound since all in the congregation are invited to come forward and wash one another’s feet. Families often come up together to wash one another’s feet. Joanne and I take advantage of this opportunity to wash each […]

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Comings & Goings

Meet Me in Las Vegas (NCCL, that is)!

If you’ve received the program for the NCCL (National Conference for Catechetical Leadership) conference in Las Vegas (April 18-22, 2010), please take note that there’s a learning session missing from the list: MINE! The same list that omits my learning sessions is also printed in the current issue of Catechetical Leadership magazine, so the folks at NCCL and I are taking steps to make sure that the word is out that I am indeed presenting […]

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Joe's Comings and Goings

Here’s My Presentation from L.A.

As promised, here is the pdf of the Powerpoint presentation (notes view pages) from my workshop in Los Angeles: “The Spirituality of the Catechist: Re-igniting the Flame.”  LA – Spirituality of the Catechist

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Comings & Goings

Headin’ West!

This weekend, along with 30,000 of my best friends,  I’ll be attending the Religious Education Congress of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles! I’m doing a presentation on Sunday morning titled “The Spirituality of the Catechist: Re-igniting the Flame.” I look forward to meeting lots of fellow catechists and catechetical ministers as well as seeing many long-time friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. The RE Congress is an exciting celebration of all things Catholic and I look forward […]

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Books

Libros de Jos Paprocki!

I’m honored that Loyola Press has translated 3 of my books into Spanish! I’ve always had a deep affection for the Hispanic community, having grown up in a part of Chicago that became increasingly Hispanic as my formative years progressed. Over the years, I picked up only a few phrases in Spanish to help me serve Spanish-speaking customers in my Dad’s drugstore. So, you can be sure that I am not the person who translated […]

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Books

Nice Review for LIVING THE MASS

I was recently made aware of a very nice review of my book Living the Mass (co-authored with Fr. Dom Grassi) by Jen at Happy Little Homemaker. Thanks Jen! This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Be sure to take a look at The Sunday Connection for ideas about how to break open the Word for this Sunday. You’ll also find the following there: The Fourth Sunday of Lent is traditionally called Laetare Sunday. […]