I came across this very nice post – The Calling of a Catechist – by Lorrie Lane Dyer in which she reflects on her call to serve as a catechist. This might be helpful for recruiting new catechists (along with a number of other resources I’ve compiled in my Becoming a Catechist feature that can always be found on my home page, right column, scroll down near the bottom).
In ministerial circles, it is not uncommon to hear the phrase “Faith is caught, not taught.”The point of the phrase is that faith is something that involves more than just transmitting information. With that in mind, it might be helpful to know just what makes a message go “viral” – what makes a message “contagious.” Seeking answers, I recently read a very good book: Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger (Simon & Schuster) […]
We rejoice at the announcement of the papacy of Francis I, a Jesuit Pope! The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenes Aires becomes our 266th pope and we join him in praying for unity and peace. I’m excited about him being a Jesuit since I work for a Jesuit ministry, Loyola Press, and attended Jesuit schools for 12 years! Ignatian spirituality resonates with so many people and it’s wonderful to have a pope who understands […]
The current issue of RTJ’s Creative Catechist Magazine features an article that I wrote titled “How We Speak in the Kingdom of God” and describes how First Eucharist is an ideal time to introduce what I call a “language of mystery” to those we teach. Here’s a PDF of the article: How We Speak in the Kingdom of God – Joe Paprocki article in RTJ’s Creative Catechist Magazine
You can pre-order my new book, available in February, 2013! Beyond the Catechist’s Toolbox: Catechesis That Not Only Informs but Also Transforms ISBN 978-0-8294-3829-1 5 x 7 Paperback 64 Pages $7.95 Joe Paprocki, best-selling author of The Catechist’s Toolbox series, has written the first, step-by-step book that demonstrates how to teach a 75-minute catechetical session with practical techniques that expand upon the textbook to create a more prayerful climate in the classroom. Beyond […]
One of the things that I take pride in about my blog is the fact that I always try to give an honest account of how my sessions go: the good, the bad, and the ugly! So, it’s no accident that my post yesterday included an honest self-assessment of my Monday evening session with a focus on a couple of the challenges that I face (trying to do too much; dealing with a child exhibiting […]
Tonight’s the night! I begin teaching 6th graders (Old Testament)! I’ve put together a little video that shows you some of my catechist preparations not only for tonight but for the year…I hope you find it helpful. In the video, I mention or show a number of resources. Here are links to all of them: My Session Outline – Session One 9/10/12 My Schedule for the Year PROCLAIMING THE WORD Bookmark in Word Prayer Intentions […]
This summer, many of you took advantage of an online retreat titled, “Preparing for a Year of Faith” that I offered here on my blog. Over the course of a month, we reflected on and shared insights about the 4 pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Now, you can access the entire retreat in one place! Just click on the Year of Faith banner below: In the future, this will be availabe under […]
As promised, the recording of the Teaching During a Year of Faith Webinar is now available! Thanks to the fast work of my colleagues Nick Yonto and Rosemary Lane, the recording was made available in record time! After today’s post, this recording will be archived above under the Webinars Tab along with all of my other archived Webinars. Enjoy and spread the word!
WEEK FOUR: Prayer DAY 3: In the Mood (Forms of Prayer, Part II) During the “Big Band” era of the 1940s, bandleader Glenn Miller topped the charts with his #1 hit “In the Mood.” While appearing well before the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the title of the song is, of course, highly suggestive. In the mood for WHAT? Intimacy, of course. That should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the history of the […]
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