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Facilitating a Small Group Online: St. Andrew Parish in Chicago

For years, it seemed as though faith formation at the parish level tended to lag behind the rest of the world when it came to taking advantage of technology. That all changed with the pandemic, didn’t it? Suddenly, we realized that, if we wanted to reach people, we would have to enter the online world. One successful example could be found just a few blocks away from Loyola Press at St. Andrew Parish, where Pastoral Associate and Director […]

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

Preparing Hearts and Minds Strategy 5: Proclaim the Resurrection as the Cause of Our Joy

Joe Paprocki

As we continue our summer series, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith, we come to strategy #5. Strategy #5: Proclaim the Resurrection as the cause of our joy. One of the most often-used phrases in TV commercials is, “But wait, there’s more!” Just when you think you’ve heard it all and that it can’t get any better, the seller doubles down and tells you that it’s about to get […]

Connecting with Middle Schoolers on Zoom

Darcy Osby

In the past few months, I learned that middle-school students know what is going on in the world and are deeply affected by it. I learned that they understand the power of prayer, especially in interceding for others. I learned that they turn to God when they are scared. I learned that they love their families intensely. How did I learn this? I learned it during our weekly Zoom calls, during which I offered them […]

Preparing Hearts and Minds Strategy 3: Proclaim Jesus’ Mighty Deeds

Joe Paprocki

As we continue our summer series, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith (drawing from my new book of the same name), we move on to strategy #3. Strategy #3: Proclaim Jesus’ mighty deeds. Many ads and TV commercials include a claim about the product or resource being sold, followed by testimonials from satisfied customers, and finally an invitation to potential customers to “find out what _____ can do for you!” This strategy […]

Creating an Online Presence in One Week: A Tale of One Chicago Parish

Joe Paprocki

When stay-at-home orders went into effect in mid-March because of the pandemic, many parish religious education programs found themselves facing unimaginable challenges. The main challenge, of course, was how to reach families and children who still had another six weeks of faith formation sessions left in the catechetical year. Many catechetical leaders and catechists all over the country responded with heroic efforts to sustain their programs through virtual contact. One such parish is St. Sylvester, […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Singing/Listening to Hymns

Joe Paprocki

I have long asserted that if some “Grinch” came along and stole all of our Catholic faith formation textbooks and copies of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and left us with only a hymnal, we would still be able to teach the Catholic faith! Catholic hymns are catechetical; in other words, they teach us about our faith. One great way to teach children about their Catholic faith is to introduce them to Catholic hymns—the […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Cleaning Out Closets and Drawers

Joe Paprocki

One of the lessons we’re learning during the pandemic is how to “do without.” There are so many things that we would love to be doing that we are simply unable to do right now. And yet, doing without is a spiritual virtue. So why not turn it up a notch and find some more things you can do without? In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at cleaning out our closets and drawers […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Praying the Daily Examen

Joe Paprocki

I’m fond of saying that God is most often recognized in the rearview mirror. In other words, we seem to be more capable of recognizing God in past events than in the present. St. Ignatius of Loyola thought along those same lines, which is why he promoted a simple prayer called the Daily Examen. In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the practice of praying the Examen in order to recognize God’s presence in […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Praying a Novena

Joe Paprocki

In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we take a look at the practice of praying a novena and how this Catholic tradition is grounded in Scripture and connects us with the Apostles, Mary, and the Holy Spirit. For more information about praying a novena, check out the following: First Holy Communion Novena Ascension to Pentecost: The First Novena (free poster and booklet) What Is a Novena? Novenas: Prayers of Intercession and Devotion Waiting for the […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: “I’ll Light a Candle for You”

Joe Paprocki

In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the notion of intercessory prayer (praying for the needs of others) and how, for Catholics, it often involves the outward sign of lighting a candle for the person for whom we are praying. For more information about intercessory prayer, check out the following: Forming Children and Youth for Mass: Intercessory Prayer Drafting Prayers of Intercession Helping Young People Write Intercessions Faithful Uphold the Quiet Tradition of […]