Mass Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Catechist's Journey

Mass Bingo Game

Enhance children’s understanding of the Eucharist and the Mass in a fun way by playing Mass Bingo. Play as a way to involve children in the Eucharistic Revival, either in sacramental preparation classes or as a review in faith formation sessions across grade levels. Pair a game of Bingo with reading Seven Clues: A Catholic Treasure Hunt in a family session or First Eucharist retreat day. For more resources on preparation for First Eucharist, see […]

National Eucharistic Revival - bread and wine wheat and grapes

Eucharistic Revival Begins Soon!

Joe Paprocki

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 […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: A Walk Through the Mass—The Entrance Procession

Joe Paprocki

Today we begin a Pop-Up Catechesis series: A Walk Through the Mass. In this episode, we explore the Entrance Procession. If you’ve ever attended a parade, you know that it is intended to be a spectacle—something to be seen. The parade participants are certainly not heading to a specific destination; they are just walking by in order to be seen and cheered. Parades have their roots in military victories. When a victorious army would return […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Why Do We Have to Go to Mass?

Joe Paprocki

Kids ask a lot of questions, such as, “Are we there yet?” Some of their questions are harder to answer than others, especially when they ask, “Why?” One of the questions that most children eventually ask is, “Why do we have to go to Mass?” Parents struggle to find all kinds of answers to convince their children that going to Mass is important and is a good thing but all too often end up telling […]

Three Wishes activity from Catechist's Journey

Helping Young People Write Intercessions

Joe Paprocki

While many parts of the Mass are always the same (we use the same words for the Gloria; the Holy, Holy, Holy; the Lord’s Prayer; the Lamb of God; etc.), several parts are always different from one Mass to another: the Scripture readings, the homily, and the Prayer of the Faithful. This, of course, gives us an opportunity to invite young people to shape some of the words we use at Mass. In particular, inviting […]

Sunday Mass: “Why Do We Have to Go?” (Part Two)

Joe Paprocki

Recently, I posted about the challenge of convincing our children that going to Mass is a priority in our lives, especially when they push back and tell us that it’s boring or that they don’t get anything out of it. Rather than trying to convince them that it will be fun and exciting, it is more important that we concentrate on helping them to appreciate the deeper reasons why Sunday worship—the Eucharist—is so central to […]

Sunday Mass: “Why Do We Have to Go?”

Joe Paprocki

We’re all familiar with the question that children ask when we are taking them somewhere they are excited about: “Are we there yet?!” Unfortunately, when it comes to taking our children to church on Sunday, the question often turns into, “Why do we have to go?” It can be challenging for parents who want their children to develop an appreciation for the centrality of Sunday Eucharist, when they receive “push-back” instead of enthusiasm. Try as […]

Increasing Mass Attendance, Part Two

Joe Paprocki

One of the biggest frustrations that catechists and Catholic school teachers have is the lack of Mass attendance of those they teach (and their families). Recently, I shared a story of a parish that made some significant, albeit short-lived, gains in Mass attendance—64% to be precise. That post has generated a lot of attention. First, thanks to the many folks who engaged in conversation at the end of that post. (Please take the time to […]

Increasing Family Attendance at Mass: What Works?

Joe Paprocki

Since buying a lake house in Wisconsin a year ago, my wife and I spend most weekends away from our home parish, Christ the King, in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago. So, recently, when I attended Mass there, I was surprised that the crowd seemed bigger than usual. Sure enough, in the parish bulletin that week, the pastor, Fr. Larry Sullivan, wrote about what he was thankful for in 2017, and one of the top […]

Six Be-Attitudes for Inviting Someone to Come to Mass - text on background with flowers and butterflies

The Six “Be-Attitudes” for Inviting Someone to Come to Mass

Julianne Stanz

People who come to Mass infrequently tend to “PACE” themselves by going to church on Palm Sunday, Ash Wednesday, Christmas, and Easter (P-A-C-E). So how can we reach out to our friends, family members, and those we work with who are not practicing their faith? The answer is surprisingly simple. According to Lifeway Research, 51% of unchurched Americans say the most effective way to get them to visit church would be through a personal invitation […]