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Catechists as Mystagogues: Helping Others to Think, Speak, and Act Differently

As mystagogues, we catechists are called to invite and accompany others into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. This transformative experience is essentially about embracing another way of being human: thinking, speaking, and acting as citizens of the Kingdom of God. In practical terms, this means that we must be about the work of helping others think, speak, and act differently! How do we do this? By encouraging and teaching Catholic practices. In many ways, […]

Equipping Parents to Share Eucharistic Adoration with Their Children

Darcy Osby

Several years ago, I was redesigning my First Communion retreat to make it more experiential, especially the portion where I have the parents by themselves for a few moments while the children are participating in another activity. I was contemplating how I could not only teach the parents about, but also allow them to experience the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, so that they could pass that gift on to their children. […]

Visio Divina and Silent Night

Joe Paprocki

This Christmas presents an opportunity to introduce young people to the prayerful practice of visio divina in conjunction with one of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time: “Silent Night.” First, let’s talk about visio divina. For some people, visuals can be very helpful for prayer experiences. For this reason, the Church has a tradition that parallels lectio divina (“divine reading” or reflection on the Word of God in Scripture), known as visio divina […]

Eucharist Quotes Journal

Denise Gorss

Deepen your understanding of the Eucharist through using our Eucharist Quotes Journal. The journal features quotes by Pope Francis, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, and spiritual authors including Fr. Dominic Grassi, Joe Paprocki, and Julianne Stanz, each chosen to inspire reflection on the Mystery of the Eucharist. This journal is perfect for use as a Mass journal, a faith formation activity for older students and adults, or a tool for reflection during Adoration. Invite parishioners to […]

Catechists as Mystagogues: Touching People’s Hearts

Joe Paprocki

In his research about why some things go viral on social media, author Jonah Berger discovered that one of the main reasons is that the item provokes emotion, whether good or bad. Emotions play a key role in decisions that people make in all areas of their lives. Aware of this reality, marketers often tap into emotions in their advertising. One of the reasons that our faith formation efforts are struggling is because they too […]

Advent: A Season of Anticipation

Joe Paprocki

Years ago, a TV commercial effectively used Carly Simon’s song, “Anticipation” to accompany images of thick, rich ketchup slowly making its way to the opening of the bottle before being generously slathered on mouthwatering burgers and crispy French fries while a voice says, “Think of how good it’s gonna taste when it finally gets there!” The commercials ended with the claim that this ketchup has “the taste worth waiting for.” I can’t help but think […]

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Stop, Look, and Listen in Evangelization

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

How can we reach out to others and have their best interests in mind as we evangelize? Thinking about that question reminded me of Jesus’ own way of “seeing us” through being compassionately aware and present, especially in our time of need. In a recent prayer project with Joe Paprocki, I described prayer as a process through which we regularly take the time to stop whatever we may be engaged in, look around and connect […]

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The Luminous Mysteries: The Institution of the Eucharist and an Excellent Choice

Joe Paprocki

We continue our reflections on the Luminous Mysteries. Today, we focus on the fifth and final Mystery of Light, which is the Institution of the Eucharist. In this mystery, we recall how Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples, sharing bread and wine with them and establishing the Sacrament of the Eucharist. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and […]

Divine Praises Activities Pack

Denise Gorss

Introduce young people to the Divine Praises with our fun activities pack. Create a mobile, solve a word scramble, and do a word search featuring words related to the Divine Praises. The Divine Praises are traditionally prayed after Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. They are a wonderful prayer to learn during the National Eucharistic Revival. Extend the activity by researching the origin of the Divine Praises and how several popes added to them. […]

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The Luminous Mysteries: The Transfiguration and Our Desire for the More

Joe Paprocki

We continue our series of reflections on the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Today, we reflect on the fourth Mystery of Light: the Transfiguration of Jesus. In the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–9), we, along with Peter, James, and John, get a glimpse of Jesus revealed in all his glory—a glimpse of what awaits at his Resurrection. Each of us is walking around with a vision of a hoped-for reality—an alternate reality—for ourselves, for those […]