The below video introduces nine strategies we learn from the kerygma—the first proclamation of the Gospel by the Apostles to people who had not yet encountered Christ—that we can use in our faith formation to be more evangelizing catechists. For details on these strategies, read Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith.
As an introvert, I have a hard time making small talk. In fact, I often joke that people are hesitant to have lunch alone with me, because before long, the conversation will be deep—not heavy or controversial, but just meaningful. During the past month alone, three such conversations resulted in tears (a mixture of sad/joyful tears) being shared. I consider these meaningful conversations to be spiritual conversations, or conversations that touch the heart. In fact, […]
We often describe Christmas as “Jesus’ birthday” and rightly so. It is, also, the day on which evangelization was born, modeled for us by the angels, who proclaimed to the shepherds the arrival of a newborn king. Their proclamation moved the shepherds to go in search of this king and, after they encountered him, to return to their lives filled with joy and gratitude. Evangelization is, of course, intimately related to catechesis. The Directory for […]
A huge part of evangelization is hospitality: the inviting and welcoming of people designed to put them at ease and to help them feel at home. For us Catholics, one of the major obstacles to our efforts at being more hospitable is making assumptions that people speak “churchese,” which, as the Urban Dictionary describes, is a language of “words that are common within the church setting and are familiar only to those who attend church.” […]
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 […]
It’s that time of the year when many catechists—both new and veteran—are gearing up for a new year of faith formation! To help catechists more effectively proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and truly transform hearts and minds, I am excited to offer a free webinar: The Evangelizing Catechist, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. (CDT). In this webinar, I’ll be drawing from my book, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways […]
When a company promotes a product, it goes to great lengths to convince us of what it can do for us. When candidates seek votes, they will provide long lists of accomplishments as proof that they can deliver. When we invite others to embrace Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, we need to provide “evidence” of what Jesus has done, is doing, and can do for each of us. A crucial part of the […]
Schedule a prayer celebration to help young people reflect on their role in evangelization and accept their mission to evangelize. Our “Sent to Evangelize” prayer service takes its focus from Matthew 28:16–20 and includes roles for multiple readers. The accompanying Commitment Cards are a concrete reminder for young people to take to heart their role as disciples. The prayer celebration is from Christ Our Life, Grade 8. Use battery-operated candles if traditional candles are not […]
The primary reason for evangelizing is our love for Jesus, which we have received, as well as the experience of salvation, which urges us to love him more and more. What kind of love would not feel the need to speak of the beloved, to point him out, to make him known? If we do not feel an intense desire to share this love, we need to pray insistently that [Jesus] will once more touch […]
I’m very excited to be partnering once again with my friend and collaborator Julianne Stanz, from the Diocese of Green Bay, to offer a timely and engaging webinar: Re-Igniting the Post-Pandemic Church: Whatever You Do, Don’t Return to “Normal”! Wednesday, June 16, 2021 1:30–3:30 p.m. Central Twenty years from now, what will people say about this time in history and how we responded as a Church? While we all long for some semblance of “normalcy,” […]
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