A Reflection by Joe Paprocki, D.Min.
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Joe Paprocki, D.Min. shares his reflection on this retreat:
“Stand firm and hold fast.”
As a catechist, you will need these five words, so lock them away somewhere for safe-keeping. While serving as a catechist brings with it many joys, there will also be times when you will feel like you are battling strong headwinds, trying to maintain your ground. It is then that you will need to stand firm. While serving as a catechist is very fulfilling, there will also be times when you will feel like you are losing your grip. It is then that you will need to hold fast. St. Paul was well aware of the challenges that the catechists of his era faced when he wrote his Second Letter to the Thessalonians and urged them to “stand firm and hold fast.” Today’s challenges are no less daunting, and these words of St. Paul are needed as much now as they were two thousand years ago.
The best thing about standing firm and holding fast is knowing that our God stands firm. Plant your feet firmly upon the Lord’s and you will be held in place. Our God holds fast so that even when we lose our grip, we are kept in the Lord’s grasp. In other words, we don’t rely on our own power to stand firm and to hold fast. We just need to remain in God, knowing that in him, we will withstand the challenges of our ministry and possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever!
Joe Paprocki, D.Min.
Joe Paprocki, D.Min., is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts. Joe has more than 40 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 150 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of over 20 books, including the best sellers The Catechist’s Toolbox and A Well-Built Faith, as well as A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, Living the Sacraments, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe also served as the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his catechetical experiences in faith formation at catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com.
Joe Paprocki, Doctor en Ministerio, es consultor nacional para la formación en la fe en Loyola Press, donde, además de sus responsabilidades de viajar y dictar conferencias, trabaja en el equipo de desarrollo de recursos del plan de estudios de formación en la fe, incluyendo Encontrando a Dios: Nuestra respuesta a los dones de Dios. Joe tiene más de 40 años de experiencia en el ministerio y ha ofrecido ponencias, presentaciones y talleres en más de 150 diócesis en América del Norte. Joe es un presentador frecuente en conferencias nacionales, incluido el Congreso de Educación Religiosa de Los Ángeles, el Congreso del Atlántico Medio (Mid-Atlantic Congress) y la Conferencia Nacional para el Liderazgo Catequético. Es autor de más de 20 libros, incluyendo los más vendidos La caja de herramientas del catequista y Una fe bien construida, así como A Church on the Move, La experiencia transformadora de encontrarse con Cristo: Bajo la influencia de Jesús, Vivir los sacramentos y Llamados a ser católicos —un programa bilingüe suplementario y fundamental que ayuda a los jóvenes a conocer su fe y a crecer en su relación con Dios. Joe también fue editor de la serie El líder catequético eficaz y escribe un blog sobre sus experiencias catequísticas en la formación de la fe en catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com.