guided reflection Archives - Page 2 of 2

Resources for Teaching Meditation to Children

While in Tucson, AZ, at their catechetical conference last week, I spent some time at a booth in the exhibit hall sponsored by The World Community for Christian Meditation. There, I found some very nice resources for teaching Christian meditation to children. The WCCM traces its contemporary roots to London, 1975, when John Main established the Christian Meditation Centre. It considers itself a “monastery without walls.” Recently, Bishop Michael Putney of the Diocese of Townsville […]

Teaching Jr High & High School Youth – What’s Your Advice?

Joe Paprocki

Here’s what Bernie has to say about teaching junior high and high school youth: I am starting my sixth year of teaching 7th graders and last year I was surprised to realize how much my students enjoyed a bit of quiet time to encounter God. With their heavy schedules of school, sports, choir, and other extra curriculars, some of these children are constantly on the run. Towards the end of class, I tried to incorporate […]

A Guided Reflection on Praying, Fasting, and Almsgiving

Joe Paprocki

Tonight, we begin in church with a Lenten prayer service that should be about 30 minutes. With all the coming and going between the church and school buildings, I should have about 35 minutes left with my kids. Since I haven’t been able to do a guided reflection with them for a few weeks, I thought I would go right into that when we get back to the classroom. Here’s the script that I put […]

A Gift from Jesus

Joe Paprocki

At the end of my workshop In Hartford, CT, on Saturday (speaking on leading guided reflections), a priest came up to chat with me. I hesitate to call him an elderly priest because, although he was obviously up there in years, he had such a youthful attitude that it made him seem quite young. Anyway, the priest was telling me how he’s been doing guided reflections in catechesis for many years and that one thing […]

And a Child Shall Lead Them…

Joe Paprocki

This phrase, of course, is from Isaiah 11:6, and is used from time to time in catechesis with regards to children taking leadership roles. I experimented with this concept on Monday evening by having one of my students lead the guided reflection! This was a big risk for me and I have to admit that I have a very hard time of letting go of things like this because I know how it should be […]

My First Session – Part 3

Joe Paprocki

So far, I’ve summarized the first 45-50 minutes of my first session with my 8th graders this past Monday evening, detailing the Engage and Explore steps of my lesson. Today, I’ll detail the REFLECT step which is designed to lead the young people to pray from within the truths they are learning. Here are the details: Before class began, I had set up on my prayer center, a circle of battery operated tea light candles (I […]

Ending on a Good Note – A Summary of Last Night's Class

Joe Paprocki

Last evening was the last teaching session for this year with my 8th graders. Next week, we gather for Mass, some presentations, and then pizza. I enjoyed last night and overall, I feel it went very nicely, a fitting ending to a good year with a good group of kids. Here are the highlights: I met the young people at the door as they arrived. I was holding a tray with their little vigil candles […]

Update on My OWN Classes

Joe Paprocki

I realize that, in the midst of providing my 40 Lenten activities in 40 days, I’ve not updated you on my own Monday evening classes. Actually, last night was the first time I saw my 8th graders in 3 weeks! Last week, I was doing a parish mission at another parish and needed a sub. The week before that was a day off (Pulaski Day in Illinois). So last night was an opportunity to get […]

Leading Guided Reflections (Meditations)

Joe Paprocki

Catechists often ask me where they can get their hands on guided reflections (meditations) for children, especially after I have introduced them to one of the guided reflections included in the Finding God program that we use at the parish where I’m a catechist. If they are not using the Finding God program, they are wondering where they can get some guided reflections. Good news! Loyola Press has now made a number of guided reflections […]