Pop-Up Catechesis with Joe Paprocki
Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Pop-Catechesis: The Transfiguration

I’m sure you can think of an experience in which you felt that someone you thought you knew showed their “true colors.” To show your true colors means to reveal yourself as you really are, for better or for worse. The Feast of the Transfiguration tells us the story of when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the mountaintop and showed them his “true colors.” He revealed himself as he really is: the Son […]

young woman looking at her reflection in pool - text: Reflecting on Our Individual and Communal Prayer Mini-Retreat - Malte Mueller/fStop/Getty Images
Online Retreat for Catechists

Reflecting on Our Individual and Communal Prayer Mini-Retreat: The Lord’s Prayer

In preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025, Pope Francis has asked Catholics to prepare by dedicating time in 2024 to “promote initiatives to remind people of the centrality of both individual prayer and community prayer.” With that in mind, I invite you to the final part of our three-part mini-retreat devoted to reflecting on our individual and communal prayer. May your life of prayer be enriched and filled with abundant blessings! The Lord’s Prayer Who is […]

Faith Refreshed - text over photo of water droplets by lemonade glass by Charlotte May on Pexels
Online Retreat for Catechists

Faith Refreshed Online Retreat Week 3: Thinking and Moral Choices

Welcome to Week 3 of Faith Refreshed, an online retreat to help us “hit the refresh button” in our spiritual lives. Throughout this retreat, I am drawing from my best-selling book, A Well-Built Faith: A Catholic’s Guide to Knowing and Sharing What We Believe, as we revisit the four pillars of our Catholic faith and invite the Holy Spirit to refresh our understanding of the basics of our faith and renew us in our efforts […]

computer screen illustration
Technology in Catechesis

Reaching Parents Virtually

Catechists and catechetical leaders are always searching for ways of connecting with parents of the children in their religious education programs. We all know that parents are pulled in a million different directions, which means that connecting with them in person is not always feasible. One of the lessons we learned from the pandemic (hopefully!) is how to connect with people virtually. There are many simple ways we can connect with parents online to share […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week
Liturgy and Sacraments

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Profession of Faith

As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reflecting on the parts of the Mass and what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Profession of Faith and how proclaiming the Creed is an exercise in trust. The Profession of Faith calls us to deepen our trust in God’s saving grace. How do you strive to put this […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week
Liturgy and Sacraments

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Liturgy of the Word

As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reflecting on the parts of the Mass and what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Liturgy of the Word and how the Scripture readings invite us to reshape the narrative of our lives and of the world from one of loss, brokenness, and fear to one of rescue, restoration, […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week
Liturgy and Sacraments

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Penitential Act

During the National Eucharistic Revival, let’s look at the parts of the Mass to reflect on what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Penitential Act, through which we acknowledge that we are sinners and ask for God’s forgiveness. We consider how the Penitential Act of the Mass calls us to embrace our brokenness and open ourselves up to […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week
Liturgy and Sacraments

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Introductory Rites

As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, let’s look at the parts of the Mass to reflect on what each part of the Mass is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Introductory Rites, which include the opening procession, the greeting by the priest, and the Penitential Act. We consider how these elements of the Mass call us to move from […]

Advent Attitudes
Advent

Advent: A Season of Anticipation

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 […]

National Eucharistic Revival - bread and wine wheat and grapes
Liturgy and Sacraments

Eucharistic Revival Begins Soon!

In just a few weeks, the Catholic Church in the United States will embark upon a three-year Eucharistic Revival in hopes of rekindling within Catholics “a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The revival will officially start with diocesan celebrations on the Feast of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ), June 19, 2022. In 2023, the focus will be on parishes and resources that will deepen Catholics’ understanding […]