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Jumpstart Your Year: Catechist Resources at Your Fingertips!

As we approach the start of a new catechetical year, I thought it would be helpful to pull together a number of resources I’ve made available on my blog and provide them in one place for your “one-stop shopping.” Just follow the links below to a number of resources that will assist you in getting started on the right foot. Supplies for your prayer table YouTube videos correlated to catechetical themes YouTube videos to lead […]

Depression: A Mental, Spiritual, AND Physical Condition

Joe Paprocki

The tragic death of Robin Williams is a painful reminder of the insidious nature of depression, an often misunderstood condition/disease. Too often, depression is thought of as a weakness that can be overcome with an attitude adjustment. In reality, however, depression is not something you can just lift yourself out of. It is not a slump, a period of sadness, or a rut. Nor is it to be confused with a “dark night of the […]

Adult Faith Formation: It’s About Relationships!

Joe Paprocki

I had the pleasure of chatting with a co-worker here at Loyola Press, Julie Berggren, about her role as a Minister of Care at her parish, St. Francis Xavier in Wilmette, and the ongoing formation that the ministers of care are involved in there. First a little background: SFX Parish has between 80-100 Ministers of Care who visit and bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound, in hospitals and in homes and nursing homes. […]

Good Discussion Questions for Catechist Grade Level Breakout Sessions

Joe Paprocki

As I mentioned in a previous post, I enjoyed a day in the Diocese of Peoria, in particular, participating in a grade-level breakout session for 5th and 6th grade catechists. Some of these grade level sessions can grow tedious if not facilitated well. I like the fact that for these breakouts, the diocese provided questions to guide the discussions. Here they are: Bringing Prayer into the classroom. Are there any regular prayers you use and […]

How About Catechists for Parish Women’s and Men’s Clubs?

Joe Paprocki

Too often, we Catholics approach adult catechesis with the notion of beginning a program that we hope to get folks to attend, when in fact, many people are already attending parish functions but not necessarily receiving faith formation as a part of the experience. One such example are Women’s and Men’s Clubs (Mother’s and Father’s Clubs, Holy Name Society, etc.) These are groups that gather numerous parishioners on a regular basis for a wide variety […]

Combatting the “Drop-Off” Mentality

Joe Paprocki

This afternoon, I met with Deb Breakey, the DRE of St. Cajetan Parish in Chicago, to brainstorm a new way to kick off the catechetical year this Fall designed to combat the “drop-off” mentality that so many parents have when it comes to their children’s faith formation. We are working on designing an experience on the first night of religious education that, in essence, will be an intergenerational event. Parents will be asked to gather with […]

YouTube Videos as Supplemental Resources for Jr Hi and HS Faith Formation

Joe Paprocki

The General Directory for Catechesis states clearly that NO resource, no matter how well-tested or glitzy, “can dispense with the person of the catechist in every phase of the catechetical process.” (156) Some faith formation programs would have you believe that their resources, whether a textbook or a series of DVDs, will do all the work and that all a catechist needs to do is to facilitate the turning of pages in a book or […]

Using YouTube Videos to Lead Song

Joe Paprocki

One of the techniques that I’ve used with young people to lead them in song, either in a catechetical setting or at a liturgy, is to project a YouTube video with the music and lyrics provided. This works especially well because young people are very visual and are more comfortable with this than with a hymnal or song sheet. Likewise, it is very effective when you don’t have a music minister present to lead song […]

Blog Tour 2nd Stop: Ignitum Today!

Joe Paprocki

I had to put up with some weather yesterday but other than than, my blog tour is going smoothly! Today, we arrive at Ignitum Today! and a review of my book Under the Influence of Jesus by Editor-in-Chief, J.R. Baldwin. Here is a bit more about J.R. Baldwin: J.R. Baldwin is the Editor-in-chief at Ignitum Today. A former statehouse reporter and nanny, she is one of the three Bright Maidens, and is a regular contributor […]

Lawn Chair Catechism at CatholicMom.com Featuring A Well Built Faith!

Joe Paprocki

I’m excited and flattered that my book, A Well-Built Faith, has been chosen for CatholicMom.com’s Lawn Chair Catechism this summer! I’ve had fun working on the promotional materials with them for this endeavor (see left and below!). Here is how they describe the experience: Welcome to the second “Lawn Chair Catechism” at CatholicMom.com! This is an opportunity for you to kick back while you study along with us. We’ll be using A Well-Built Faith: A […]