spiritual Archives - Catechist's Journey

How About Catechists for Parish Women’s and Men’s Clubs?

Too often, we Catholics approach adult catechesis with the notion of beginning a program that we hope to get folks to attend, when in fact, many people are already attending parish functions but not necessarily receiving faith formation as a part of the experience. One such example are Women’s and Men’s Clubs (Mother’s and Father’s Clubs, Holy Name Society, etc.) These are groups that gather numerous parishioners on a regular basis for a wide variety […]

Preparing for Our Mercy Experience – Permission Forms, etc.

Joe Paprocki

Tonight, before taking the kids to church for their monthly Mass, we will focus on our upcoming Mercy Experience (formerly known as service projects!). On April 21, we will be going to the Ronald McDonald House near Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL, to prepare and serve supper for about 30 people currently residing there. Kudos to my DRE, Deb, and to St. Cajetan for strongly suggesting that EVERY grade of religious education be […]

Under the Influence in San Antonio, TX!

Joe Paprocki

A great big THANK YOU to all the good folks who participated in the Mid Winter Gathering for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, TX! I get a kick out of that title: mid-winter! It was about 80 degrees today! Anyway, I had the privilege of doing the keynote presentation on my new book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ, as well as a workshop on my earlier book, 7 Keys […]

A Spiritual Enrichment Opportunity for Catechists: Online Writing Retreat

Joe Paprocki

Catechists are always seeking spiritual enrichment. Here is an opportunity that I encourage you to take advantage of if writing is a part of your spiritual experience. Write for the good of your soul! Days of Deepening Friendship, a blog hosted by Loyola Press author and editor Vinita Hampton Wright, is offering a free online writing retreat September 30–October 4, 2013. Vinita will provide daily material, writing exercises, and short prayers to help you nurture […]

Summer Vocation

Joe Paprocki

Memorial Day, of course, signals the official start of summer. As we look forward to the coming summer months, we find that we have many plans: trips, to-do lists, a little down-time. I suggest you grow that list to include some ideas for what you plan to do to enhance your spiritual life, advance your ministry, and grow closer to God. Tell us what you plan to do this summer to renew your faith!

Artistic Beauty Can Lead the Human Heart to God

Joe Paprocki

In a general audience in August, 2011, Pope Benedict spoke of the importance of art in the life of faith, saying that artistic beauty can lead the human heart to God. “Art is capable of making visible our need to go beyond what we see and it reveals our thirst for infinite beauty, for God,” said the Holy Father. Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, we are all drawn to beauty. In fact, […]

U.S. Catholic Book Club Selects 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness for March!

Joe Paprocki

I was tickled to learn that U.S. Catholic Magazine has chosen my book 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness as its selection for their Book Club for March, 2013!!! Here’s what they say about the book: Review: In the contemporary dualism that sees spirituality as distinct from religion, Joe Paprocki admits that Christianity is too often confined to the latter and considered “less as a spiritual path and more as a code of ethics.” In […]

Year of Faith Retreat – Week 2, Day 1: Aligning Ourselves with God (Worship and Liturgy)

Joe Paprocki

WEEK TWO: Sacraments (Celebrating the Christian Mystery) DAY 1: Aligning Ourselves with God (Worship and Liturgy) httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp8cqIVUntk The secret to winning the game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey is to line yourself up as best you can with the picture on the board. This is not easy to do when you’re blindfolded and have been spun around several times! We tend to miss the mark. The goal of the upcoming Year of Faith is […]

What Are YOU Doing to Maintain Your Spiritual Wellness?

Joe Paprocki

In last night’s Webinar on The 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness (if you missed it, a recording will be available here on my blog within a few days), I began by asking what folks are doing to maintain their spiritual wellness before I added my suggestions. Here’s a sampling of what folks are doing (I love the variety!) What are YOU doing to maintain your spiritual wellness? Daily mass Daily prayer active participation in […]