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illustrated image of teacher next to board that reads "Presentation Skills for Catechists" - base image by Kidaha from Pixabay

Three Essential Presentation Skills for Catechists

Communication and presentation skills may not be the first skills that come to mind when thinking about the qualities of a good catechist, but they are key elements for catechists to consider as they approach their classes. Here are three presentation factors to reflect on as we prepare for a new year of faith formation. Emphasis in Reading the Word Have you ever been to a Mass when the lector wasn’t well prepared and the […]

Jump Start Your Spiritual Life - words on blue setting

Spiritual but not Religious? Here’s What it Means to Be Spiritual

Joe Paprocki

Many of those we minister to these days will use the description, “I’m spiritual but not religious,” to describe themselves. This typically means that they seek a relationship with God but are wary, disillusioned, or just not attracted by institutional religion or denominations. One of the problems that folks in this situation encounter, however, is that being “spiritual” can be a very nebulous notion. We can help those interested in a deeper spiritual life by […]

Nine Tips for Asking Questions

Joe Paprocki

Asking Questions to Get Beneath the Surface This summer, my biggest project was scraping and painting the deck at my lake house. I’m always tempted to skip the scraping part and get right into painting. However, as we all know, it is crucial to strip away what’s on the surface to get to what’s deeper: the original wood. When we teach, we can be tempted to rush past an important step that helps us get beneath […]

Retain Catechists Through Public Recognition

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

Bishop Larry Silva stood at the doorway to my office holding a tray stacked high with freshly baked brownies. “Jayne, I’m here to say hello and to thank you for your hard work! Care for a treat?” He served up a brownie, and we chatted amicably for a few moments. I watched him make his way down the hall, stopping at each office to offer a sweet treat, recognizing the efforts of his employees and […]

illustration of name tent with Maria as name and flowers and butterfly - illustration by Philomena O'Neill for Loyola Press

Calling Children by Name

Kathleen Butler

“I have called you by name, you are mine,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 43:1) This intimate connection we have with God is a gift to be celebrated. Being named Kathleen, I’ve gone through life with people automatically assuming I want to be called “Kathy” or “Kate.” I don’t want to be called something else; my name is Kathleen. When I meet my religious education students, the first thing I do is ask them their names […]

well done note on chalkboard - image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Three Ways to Retain Catechists Through Affirmation

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

Cool-headed, analytical, driven—these words were often used to describe Scott, a veteran soldier in the United States Army. Yet, there he was, a shy grin on his face as he approached his pastor, who had called him forward to be recognized as a new catechist. He gratefully accepted his welcome gifts: the Holy Bible with his name engraved on the cover, a rosary carved from a native hard wood, and an official catechist name badge. […]

Discovering the Nearness of God: An Eight-Week Series on the Catholic Sacramental Vision

Joe Paprocki

Welcome to the first installment of an eight-week series I’m doing this summer here on Catechist’s Journey on the Catholic sacramental vision. “Discovering the Nearness of God” will draw from my book, Living the Sacraments: Finding God at the Intersection of Heaven and Earth. I’d like to begin by stating emphatically that the most urgent message for us to spread today is the good news of the nearness of God! We live during a time […]

Book Club Bonus: John M. DeJak and Amy Welborn on Traditional Prayers

Book Club Bonus: Traditional Prayers with the Family

Special Contributor

Editor’s note: In our online book club, we’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. Each Tuesday through August 7, 2018, we’ll bring you Book Club Bonus Days—sharing additional stories of family prayer, continuing the weekly conversation, and more. Find all the book club posts here. Family Rosary Daily prayer with a large family is a bit like being a circus performer where one has to keep a bunch […]

Collaborating with Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

The Vietnamese Holy Martyrs Catholic Community in the Diocese of Honolulu have an annual youth camp. The core team had finalized their plans for 2018. The campsite was booked; the program content was finalized; the activities and their optimum placement were all mapped out: prayer service in the chapel, sessions in the common room, outdoor grilling for lunch, a Scripture-themed scavenger hunt on the playing field, skits and s’mores around the outdoor fire pit. Now […]

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Memories of Family Prayer

Joe Paprocki

I have to admit that, although I grew up in a very Catholic family, our experiences of family prayer were usually somewhat formal and perfunctory, consisting primarily of saying Grace before a meal, going to Mass together, or praying silently at the gravestone of a deceased relative. I don’t recall experiences of spontaneous prayer in which my parents or anyone else, for that matter, bowed their heads and prayed extemporaneously about a situation we were […]