vatican Archives - Catechist's Journey

Final Installment from Dr. Joe Bound, Our Pilgrim Reporter in Italy

Over the course of this past week, we’ve been blessed with firsthand reports of the Pilgrimage to Italy and the International Conference for Catechesis from Dr. Joe Bound, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Green Bay; a man dedicated to sound catechesis. Thanks, Dr. Joe, for your excellent reports! We appreciate you taking the time to share your summaries as well as your impressions of the experience of the pilgrimage! Safe travels […]

VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to Italy: Time to “Fly” Home!

Joe Paprocki

My how the time has flown! It seems like just yesterday that we arrived in Italy for our VIRTUAL pilgrimage and now, here we are, packing our virtual bags and getting ready for our virtual flight home! I hope you’ve enjoyed this little journey! It’s been nice traveling with you. Before we leave, we will celebrate a wonderful liturgy with our Holy Father, Pope Francis and then one more exquisite dining experience! Today, we’ll gather […]

VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to Italy, Day 5: Getting Down to Business

Joe Paprocki

Up to this point, our VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to Italy has been filled with lots of sight-seeing which has been wonderful. Today, things get a little different as we jump headlong into the International Conference for Catechesis, the centerpiece of this whole experience to mark the Year of Faith with an emphasis on catechesis. Here’s our itinerary for the day (be sure to bring a notebook and pen with you…looks like lots of opportunities to take […]

More Updates from Italy Pilgrimage: Dr. Joe Bound

Joe Paprocki

Here are more updates from Dr. Joe Bound, who has been kind enough to send along reports of his participation in the pilgrimage to Italy over the course of this week. Thanks, Dr. Joe! Wednesday, September 26 This morning right after breakfast at our hotel we took a cab to the Vatican Museum. We had made arrangements for a 3 hour tour of the Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Bascilica which started at 9am. […]

Join Me on a VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to Italy!

Joe Paprocki

As part of the Year of Faith, Pope Francis is hosting a Day for Catechists at the Vatican during the last week of September, 2013, culminating in the International Conference of Catechesis. A delegation of religious educators will be attending via a pilgrimage sponsored by the NCEA as well as other organizations from September 23 through September 30, 2013. For those of us unable to attend in person, I thought I would offer the opportunity […]

How a Pope is Elected

Joe Paprocki

Here is a very clever animation that explains how a pope is elected at a conclave – from Vatican Insider. Click the title below.

Using SKYPE in Catechesis

Joe Paprocki

My friend Victor Valdez, a DRE in Mountain View, CA, sent me this link about an 8th grade language arts teacher in Iowa who invited his students to select a name from the CNN Heroes finalists so that he could arrange for them to speak with him or her using SKYPE. Eighth Graders Learn Big Lessons from CNN Heroes Assignment Victor astutely suggests that this would be a great idea for a religious education class in […]