Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

Openness to the Church

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Some of the greatest years of my life have been spent catechizing in parochial religious education programs and teaching theology at a Catholic college preparatory school in the Diocese of Birmingham. In my teaching, I have always strived to pass on the Deposit of Faith by being an authentic witness of the saving power of God. Catechists possess an awesome responsibility to carry […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Openness to the Church (Online Retreat Week 3)

Welcome once again to the Spirituality of the Catechist, our online retreat. Remember that you can join in at any time, starting with today’s post or going back to catch up on earlier weeks. In this Week Three, we look at the second characteristic of a catechist’s spirituality: An Openness to the Church. Whether you are a long-time catechist or starting for the first time this fall, your stories are inspiring as we share with […]

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: Is that your final answer?
Spiritual Growth

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: Is That Your Final Answer?

Editor’s note: This post is one in a series inspired by Joe Paprocki’s book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness. In the book, Joe introduces each key with a fun or thought-provoking question. Each Friday we’ll share an excerpt from 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness that poses a question, followed by a response by a catechist or catechetical leader. Is that your final answer? That’s the question asked of every contestant on the television quiz show […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

Don’t Chase God; Be Caught Instead

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Craig, Janice, and their two young daughters could always be counted on to participate in parish family life programs. By all accounts Craig was the super-Catholic dad: a humble man of faith; a role model for other dads. After a particularly long afternoon of family-ministry activities, I noticed Craig sitting in a far corner of the church lawn. I wandered over, sat beside […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Openness to God (Online Retreat Week 2)

Welcome back to the Spirituality of the Catechist, our online retreat. This week we’ll look at the first characteristic of our spirituality: An Openness to God. Thank you for posting your introductions last week as we began our retreat. Your stories were very inspiring, and they helped to form a sense of community among us retreatants. If you’re just joining us, you can read the overview and introductions here (Feel free to add your own!) […]

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: What do you have that cannot be taken away?
Spiritual Growth

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: What Do You Have That Cannot Be Taken Away?

Editor’s note: This post is one in a series inspired by Joe Paprocki’s book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness. In the book, Joe introduces each key with a fun or thought-provoking question. Each Friday we’ll share an excerpt from 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness that poses a question, followed by a response by a catechist or catechetical leader. What do you have that cannot be taken away? If you can identify and cultivate the answer […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

The Six Characteristics of the Spirituality of the Catechist

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Read the overview post here. “Catechists must have a deep spirituality.” (Guide for Catechists 6) One of my favorite Disney movies is Big Hero 6. The story centers around a computer prodigy named Hiro who forms a team of superheroes to combat an evil villain. Along the way, these tiny superheroes realize that while each of them have their own special gifts, they […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

The Spirituality of the Catechist: Overview of Our Online Retreat and Introductions

Welcome to the Spirituality of the Catechist, an online retreat for catechists. This retreat is an opportunity for those of us involved in all aspects of faith formation to be renewed in spirit and to deepen our bonds with the Lord and with one another. There’s no need to register. There’s no fee. Retreat posts will all be here on Catechist’s Journey on Tuesdays and Thursdays this summer. Let’s start with an overview of the […]

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: Who's Your Court Jester?
Spiritual Growth

7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: Who’s Your Court Jester?

Editor’s note: Today we start a series inspired by Joe Paprocki’s book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness. In the book, Joe introduces each key with a fun or thought-provoking question. Each Friday we’ll share an excerpt from 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness that poses a question, followed by a response by a catechist or catechetical leader. Today, Bob Burnham, catechist and author of Little Lessons from the Saints, responds to the first question. We invite […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists
Online Retreat for Catechists

The Spirituality of the Catechist: An Online Retreat for Catechists

This summer, take some time, from the comfort of your own home and at times convenient to you, for an online retreat here at Catechist’s Journey. We’ll spend the summer reflecting on the spirituality of the catechist, focusing on six characteristics as outlined in the Guide for Catechists (Section II, 6–10): An Openness to God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) An Openness to the Church An Openness to the World A Coherence and Authenticity of […]