sacramental preparation Archives - Page 2 of 2

Supporting Parents When Children Are Preparing for the Sacraments

Perhaps the question I am asked most when I’m on the road giving presentations is, “What can we do to get parents more involved?” Even Pope Francis issued a call for parents to “come out of exile” to educate their children. From start to finish—from the first day that parents bring their children to religious education until the day they complete their formal formation—we should be speaking to parents, not about how they can pitch […]

God's Gift DVDs for sacramental preparation

New DVDs for Sacramental Preparation: God’s Gift

Joe Paprocki

I am very excited to tell you about a new DVD series for sacramental preparation—a project that I was privileged to be intimately involved with from writing scripts to hosting segments! This new video series enhances instruction and parent involvement in sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. As part of the God’s Gift 2016 program, these DVDs are to be used in retreats, parent meetings, faith-formation sessions and more. There are five DVDs […]

Great Resources for Sacramental Preparation

Joe Paprocki

I’m very excited to tell you about some wonderful resources for sacramental preparation from Loyola Press! A new edition of the already popular God’s Gift program for First Eucharist and First Reconciliation, available in English and bilingual versions, includes some wonderful new features: God’s Gift Intermediate was developed to pass on the truth and beauty of the sacraments to teens or other young people preparing to celebrate the sacraments out of typical sequence. God’s Gift: […]

Finding God in Galveston-Houston

Joe Paprocki

Yesterday, I enjoyed a wonderful day with 4 of my Loyola Press colleagues in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as we presented correlations between Finding God 2013 and the new curriculum guidelines and learning targets for the archdiocese. Thanks to all of the folks who so warmly received us and showed such great excitement for the new bilingual Finding God, the Adaptive Kits for children with special needs, our religion readiness programs, and our sacramental preparation […]

Winners of the Opening Doors Awards!

Joe Paprocki

Together with the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, Loyola Press congratulates St. Joseph’s Parish of Moorhead, Minnesota, and All Saints Parish of Dallas, Texas, winners of the inaugural Opening Doors Award. The Loyola Press Opening Doors Award honors a parish community that demonstrates inclusion and engagement practices that facilitate the meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of the parish community and the life of the Catholic Church. The award will be presented […]

Sacramental Readiness and Initiation – Developing New Habits

Joe Paprocki

We’ve had a good conversation here about sacramental readiness over the last few days thanks to a plea for help from “Monica.” Thank you to all who have so generously shared their wisdom. Our discussion got me thinking about the notion of readiness and the fact that all of our catechesis takes its cue from the process of Initiation which is an apprenticeship into a way of life. Assessment of knowledge of the faith is […]

Sacramental Readiness: WWYD?

Joe Paprocki

Here is an opportunity to help one of our colleagues (we’ll call her Monica) who is faced with a situation of determining sacramental readiness. Please offer your advice by leaving a reply below. Hi Joe — One of our RCIC students, 13 year old, missed lots of classes, has not done any home make up work (his Mom says they have been too busy with ‘work’); and the boy is rather glum, sullen, disinterested. Polite […]