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Growing as a Catechist

What’s One Thing You Learned This Year as a Catechist?

For most of us, our catechetical year has come to an end. That means that it’s time to look back and evaluate. Every year of teaching is a learning experience for US as catechists. What’s one thing that you learned this year as a catechist? Please answer in the space below where it says “Leave a Reply” and “Submit Comment” – let’s hear from ya!

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Catechetical Leaders

Catechist Formation and Certification – Rochester (NY) Style

On my recent trip to the Diocese of Rochester, NY, to do a couple of presentations, I had the pleasure of sharing a couple of long car rides with  Jonathan Schott, the Coordinator of Adult, Family, and Catechist Formation. Our conversations were wide-ranging: sports, movies, TV, and, of course, catechesis! In particular, we talked about catechist formation and I was particularly impressed with the online approach that the Diocese of Rochester takes for catechist formation. Their […]

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7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness

What Are YOU Doing to Maintain Your Spiritual Wellness?

In last night’s Webinar on The 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness (if you missed it, a recording will be available here on my blog within a few days), I began by asking what folks are doing to maintain their spiritual wellness before I added my suggestions. Here’s a sampling of what folks are doing (I love the variety!)   What are YOU doing to maintain your spiritual wellness? Daily mass Daily prayer active participation in […]

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Growing as a Catechist

Learning the New Nicene Creed By Heart

One of my Lenten promises this year is to learn by heart (memorize) the new Nicene Creed. Of all the Roman Missal changes (people’s parts), the changes to the Nicene Creed (and the Gloria) are by far the most significant. I think it’s important to be able to recite the Creed from memory so I am attempting to learn it by heart this Lent. I spent time on the train this morning working on it […]

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Approaches/Techniques

More on the “Coach Approach”

The other day, I posted on the parallels between coaching and serving as a catechist. That stirred up the following conversation between a DRE and one of her catechists who is indeed also a coach. Enjoy!   Hi Joe!  In response to your latest Catechist’s Journey email, I asked one of my catechists if he saw a connection between coaching and being a catechist.  Scott coaches basketball and then “cleans up” and comes to teach […]

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Growing as a Catechist

5th Anniversary Celebration – Guest Blogger #7: Jonathan Sullivan

Today, we feature the last in a series of guest bloggers as we celebrate the 5th anniversary of my blog The Catechist’s Journey. You may have heard me make mention of Jonathan Sullivan before and I’m delighted to see that he is indeed making an impact on the national scene as he will be one of the keynote speakers at the NCCL Conference in 2012! Jonathan currently serves as the director of catechetical ministries for […]

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Growing as a Catechist

5th Anniversary Celebration – Guest Blogger #6: Lisa Hendey

Today’s guest blogger hosts one of the most popular blogs in the Catholic blogosphere! Lisa M. Hendey is the founder and editor of www.CatholicMom.com and the author of A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms and The Handbook for Catholic Moms. She hosts the Catholic Moments podcast and actively speaks around the country on faith, family life and social media topics.  In an email to me, Lisa said, “I am not a catechist (and never have […]

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Approaches/Techniques

5th Anniversary Celebration – Guest Blogger #5: William O’Leary

Today, I’m featuring William O’Leary as the 5th guest blogger for the 5th Anniversary celebration of my blog, The Catechist’s Journey. William, who lives in Kansas City, Kansas, with his wife and 3 children, blogs at Catechesis in the Third Millennium. William  works at the Church of the Ascension in Overland Park as the Director of Religious Formation, a program with approximately 1,000 students. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville where he received a BA and MA in […]

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Approaches/Techniques

5th Anniversary Celebration – Guest Blogger #4: Marc Cardaronella

As we continue to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of my blog, The Catechist’s Journey, here is another guest blogger. Marc Cardaronella is the Director of Religious Education for Holy Cross Church in Champaign, IL. In a former life, he was a Naval Aviator but gave that up for a less thrilling and infinitely more satisfying career working for the Church. He has a Master’s Degree in Theology and Christian Ministry with a specialization in Catechetics […]

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Approaches/Techniques

5th Anniversary Celebration – Guest Blogger #3: Lisa Mladinich

To help celebrate the 5th anniversary of my blog, The Catechist’s Journey, I’ve invited a number of people to be guest bloggers here over the course of a week! Today, I am featuring Lisa Mladinich, a Catholic wife and mother, catechist and workshop leader, and the author of the popular booklets, “Be An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children,” and “Be an Amazing Catechist: Sacramental Preparation” available from Our Sunday Visitor. She is the founder […]