Catechist's Journey

Pop-Up Catechesis: A Walk Through the Mass—The Lord’s Prayer

We live in a culture that prizes independence. One of the biggest national holidays that we celebrate in the United States is, of course, Independence Day. When it comes to raising our children, we strive to prepare them to be autonomous and independent so that they can lead healthy and productive lives. In the spiritual life, however, there is no such thing as independence. Rather, the key to a healthy and thriving spiritual life is […]

A Vision Statement for Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

When my niece was three years old, I bought her a pair of bunny slippers, complete with floppy ears and whiskers. Delighted, she slipped them on and proceeded to march across the living room, calling out, “Bunny!” with each step. She stared at her feet while she marched, which was cute until she came close to bumping into a wall. I called out to her, “Stop!” Startled, yet undeterred, she turned around and marched in […]

Well-Intentioned Memes – Bad Theology/Catechesis

Joe Paprocki

If you inhabit Facebook, you know that memes are all the rage – these images with phrases or captions, often humorous, sarcastic, or inspirational, that spread like wildfire through social media. They can be great fun and they can also be a powerful tool for communication. There was a proliferation of these during the papal conclave, most of them very funny. Here’s one of my favorites: Occasionally, however, I come across some Catholic memes that, while well-intentioned, […]

Year of Faith Retreat – Week 4, Day 5: Cat Got Your Tongue? (The Lord’s Prayer)

Joe Paprocki

WEEK FOUR: Prayer DAY 5: Cat Got Your Tongue? (The Lord’s Prayer) Who is a famous person that you wish you could meet? Often, when the occasion arises and we have an opportunity to actually meet someone who is famous, we find ourselves at a loss for words. I remember when my brothers and I were kids, we had an opportunity to meet one of the Chicago Blackhawks’ hockey players. My brother Ron, nervous as anything, went up […]

Catechists in Action – Steve Lascola Teaches About the Lord’s Prayer

Joe Paprocki

In this segment of Catechists in Action, 3rd grade catechist Steve Lascola teaches about the Lord’s Prayer and forgiveness as he prepares the children for the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Watch for the following: Steve reads some thoughts about the Our Father from a book about Our Lady of Medjugorje. (Steve agreed with me afterwards that this was above the kids’ heads and that things we personally find edifying may not always connect with […]

Catechists in Action – Steve Lascola Talks About Forgiveness

Joe Paprocki

In this segment of Catechists in Action, 3rd grade catechist Steve Lascola talks to the children about forgiveness. Watch for the following: Steve invites the kids to color in the word forgiveness; Steve asks how many of the kids know the Lord’s Prayer; Steve recites the Lord’s Prayer and asks the kids to write down any lines that deal with forgiveness; Steve reviews the kids answers and concludes that the Lord “likes it” when we […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Declaration of DEpendence – Photos and Directions

Joe Paprocki

Today’s idea is something that catechists of every grade level can take advantage of – I call it the Declaration of DEpendence. I originally came up with this idea when teaching about the Lord’s Prayer. It occurred to me that, with its seven petitions, the Our Father is clearly a prayer that expresses our complete dependence upon God. This is, of course, in stark contrast to the independence that we all strive for in our […]