Search Results for Lent

Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith - blog series based on book of same title
Discipleship

Preparing Hearts and Minds Strategy 1: Focus on Brokenness

Joe Paprocki

Welcome to my summer series, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith. Today we look at the first strategy for tilling the soil of people’s hearts and minds: Strategy #1: Point out that potential believers’ current “way” is broken or unsatisfactory and needs to be repaired or replaced. In other words, we need to begin the faith formation journey by drawing attention to our human brokenness, and we proclaim […]

Pop-Up Catechesis with Joe Paprocki
Prayer/Guided Reflections

Pop-Up Catechesis: Spending Time in Quiet

Joe Paprocki

In today’s Pop-Up Catechesis episode, we explore the value of spending some time in quiet. During this time of sheltering-at-home, the isolation we are experiencing may tempt us to surround ourselves with noise and stimulation. And while it is good to be engaged in activity, let’s not lose sight of the fact that this is an opportunity to cultivate the practice of encountering God’s presence in the quiet. It is especially important for us to […]

Flat catechist virtually visits the chapel – image provided by Kathleen Butler
Primary Grades

“Flat Catechist” Encourages Faith Activities at Home

Kathleen Butler

Like many catechists, I found myself in a strange, new place this spring when the coronavirus closed our parish and required us to suspend all activities. I was determined to find ways to stay connected with my first-grade class. I knew the parents were already feeling overwhelmed, so I wanted to create easy and engaging activities that would make them want to participate with their children. I also wanted to create something that had a […]

Easter eggs
Lent

Keeping the Triduum at Home

Joe Paprocki

This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancelling of church services, families have the opportunity to observe the Triduum—the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday—at home. Here are some ideas: Holy Thursday On this day, we recall the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, and the agony in the garden. To recall the institution of the Eucharist, the […]

Start with Jesus presentation panel - L.A. Congress 2020 - video screenshot
Discipleship

What a Team! Speaking in the Arena at L.A. Congress

Joe Paprocki

One of my favorite phrases at Loyola Press—”What a team!”—can be traced to our president emeritus, Fr. George Lane, SJ, who often reacted to success stories in this manner. This phrase captures the experience I shared earlier this year with a group of talented colleagues at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. If you’re not familiar with the L.A. Congress, it is the largest religious education gathering in the country, drawing about 25,000 people over four […]

Crucifixion
Lent

Preparing for Holy Week at Home

Joe Paprocki

I find it strangely ironic that, as catechists, we have always expressed a desire for parents to be more involved in their children’s faith formation and now, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have been thrust into this role. The problem is, parents can feel as though they’ve been thrown into the deep end of the pool unless we provide them with the support they need and deserve to form their children in faith. One such […]

Stations of the Cross booklet for children
Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross Booklet

Joe Paprocki

We pray the Stations of the Cross to live Jesus’ suffering in his Passion and the love given to him along the way. At each station we stop, pray, and reflect. To help you explore the Stations of the Cross with your group, download our free foldable booklet. The mini-book is designed to be printed on 8½” x 11” paper and includes spaces for children to draw their own pictures or symbols for the stations. […]

catechist and young person work on a craft project - Warling Studios. © Loyola Press. All rights reserved.
Being a Catechist

Creating a Climate of Encounter in Faith Formation

Joe Paprocki

Today, more than ever, we are keenly aware of the term climate because of the issue of climate change. Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a region over a long period of time. In a climate-controlled environment, we can control those conditions (heat, humidity, barometric pressure, etc.) to suit our purposes, such as growing plants and flowers in a greenhouse. A faith formation environment must be “climate-controlled,” not so much in terms of temperature—although we definitely […]

Growing with GOD: Safe and Sacred™ - child safety and family life program
Catechetical Issues & Topics

Establishing a Climate of Trust: Growing with GOD

Joe Paprocki

Many experts in leadership emphasize that one of the first priorities of an effective leader is to establish a climate of trust. In other words, people need to know that they are safe in this environment that they are being invited into. This is especially crucial in a faith formation/spiritual environment where people are being invited to entrust their entire being to the Person of Jesus Christ and his Church. Doing the work of establishing […]