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Growing as a Catechist

Online Summer Retreat: Preparing for a Year of Faith

As you know by now, we will be celebrating a Year of Faith beginning this October, 2012, through November, 2013. I’m happy to announce that I will be offering an Online Summer Retreat: Preparing for a Year of Faith beginning one week from today on Monday, July 30, 2012 (on the eve of the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola!). The online retreat will take place right here on Catechist’s Journey. The retreat is free and there […]

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Being a Catechist

Thinking of Becoming a Catechist?

I have an exciting new page to share with you titled Becoming a Catechist which consists of numerous links to posts, videos, articles, and other resources from my blog that can help someone to discern if they wish to accept the call to serve as a catechist. The page includes my popular Top Ten Reasons to Become a Catechist, stories from current catechists about their calling and dedication to this ministry, videos from my Catechists […]

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Approaches/Techniques

Preparing for a Year of Faith – Online Retreat and Webinar!

As you know by now, we will be celebrating a Year of Faith beginning this October, 2012, through November, 2013. I’m happy to announce that I will be offering 2 very important opportunities to prepare for the Year of Faith in the coming months. Online Summer Retreat: Preparing for a Year of Faith – Beginning Monday, July 30, 2012 (on the eve of the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola!), I will be offering an […]

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Growing as a Catechist

Self Evaluation PDF – Growing as a Catechist

As we reflect on and evaluate this past catechetical year, I thought it would be helpful to once again make available a Self-Evaluation tool that I put together a couple of years ago, based on seven “tools” drawn from my book, The Catechist’s Toolbox. I encourage you to share this evaluation with another catechist, a group of catechists, or with your catechetical leader. It’s always good for us to reflect on our experience to see […]

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Growing as a Catechist

What’s Something New That You Tried This Year as a Catechist?

As we continue to review this past catechetical year, here’s my next question for you: What’s something new that you tried this year as a catechist? Every year, it helps to add some new things to your repertoire (or arsenal!) as a catechist. What new technique, strategy, approach, activity, mindset, etc. did you add this year? Share your comments below under the “Leave a Reply” feature.

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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 […]