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Ignatian Spirituality

Welcome Pope Francis!!!

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 […]

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Approaches/Techniques

Pre-Order My New Book! Beyond the Catechist’s Toolbox

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 […]

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Growing as a Catechist

What Challenge(s) Are YOU Facing This Year?

 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 […]

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Growing as a Catechist

Getting Ready for My First Session with Sixth Graders

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 […]

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Being a Catechist

A Year of Faith Online Retreat – Now in One Place!

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 […]

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Growing as a Catechist

Recording of “Teaching During a Year of Faith” Webinar – Now Available!

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!

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Online Retreat for Catechists

Year of Faith Retreat – Week 4, Day 3: In the Mood (Forms of Prayer, Part II)

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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Online Retreat for Catechists

Year of Faith Retreat – Week 3, Day 4: Learning to Detect Patterns (Social Justice)

WEEK THREE: The Moral Life (Life in Christ) DAY 4:  Learning to Detect Patterns (Social Justice) The children’s show Sesame Street has a feature called One of These Things is Not Like the Others in which they show a series of images, inviting the viewer to identify which of the things was different or doesn’t match or belong to the group. The activity is accompanied by a song with the following lyrics: One of these things is not […]

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Online Retreat for Catechists

Year of Faith Retreat – Week 3, Day 3: First-Aid (The Works of Mercy)

WEEK THREE: The Moral Life (Life in Christ) DAY 3:  First-Aid (The Works of Mercy) What would you expect to find in a typcial first-aid kit? No doubt bandages, antiseptics, pain relievers, burn ointment, and so on. What would you include in a spiritual first-aid kit? The fact is, we provide first aid for people when they have an urgent physical need. Some physical needs that people have are ongoing and are not the result of a medical emergency. […]

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Online Retreat for Catechists

Year of Faith Retreat – Week 3, Day 2: What’s Your Secret? (The Commandments, Beatitudes, and Virtues)

WEEK THREE: The Moral Life (Life in Christ) DAY 2:  What’s Your Secret?  (The Commandments, Beatitudes, and Virtues) Did you ever try to find out if someone was planning a surprise party for you or try to find out what kind of gift they may have gotten you for your birthday or Christmas? It’s not easy to pry a secret out of someone!  Thankfully, we have a God who does not keep secrets. In fact, God is quite the opposite. God […]