Catechist's Toolbox

The Catechist’s Toolbox
How to Thrive as a Religious Education Teacher
Joe Paprocki
LoyolaPress
2007, 136 pages

After you purchase multiple copies of What Do I Do Now: A Guide for the Reluctant Catechist (Pflaum Publishing)” which I coauthored with Susan Stark, I enthusiastically recommend The Catechist’s Toolbox.

In addition to the catechist preparation materials in the catechist guides of all major curriculums, catechists will find themselves returning often to The Catechist’s Toolbox, an “encyclopedia” of skills, tips and practical advice.

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Eighth Day Books

Eighth Day Books is an independent bookstore in Wichita, Kansas. Since 1988 they have specialized in the Classics - religion, philosophy, history, literature - with a special selection of icons and children's books. Each year they publish a catalog of 170+ pages that describe 1,200 books in the 40,000 collection. Visit the website or call (800.841.2541) to receive a catalog and and offer questions, comments, and special request. www.eighthdaybooks.com.

Day by Day Reflections

There are a plethora of titles that consist of daily reflections - usually one per day throughout the year. Here are a few that I have come across that I have found interesting. Let me know what you are using.

Through the Bible Through the Year
Daily Reflections from Genesis to Revelation
John Stott
Baker Books

A Year with C. S. Lewis
Daily Reflections from His Classic Works
HarperSanFrancisco

Day by Day with Saint Augustine
Donald X. Burt
Liturgical Press

Sacred Space
The Prayer Book
Jesuit Communication Center Ireland
Ave Maria

Catechetical Leader's Library

National Conferences

Center for Ministry Development
The Institute in Lifelong Faith Formation
Various locations throughout the country
Summer, 2007

East Coast Conference for Religious Education
Washington, DC

Los Angeles Religious Education
February 29 – March 2, 2008

NCEA Annual Conference and Exposition
Includes NPCD Convocation
March 25 – 28, 2008
Indianapolis, IN

National Conference for Catechetical Leaders
April 6 – 10, 2008
Houston, TX



Required Reading

Practical Catechesis: Visions and Tasks for Catechetical Leaders
A National Pastoral Life Center Book
Judith Dunlap
St. Anthony Messenger Press

National Directory for Catechesis
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)
Dogmatic Constitution On Devine Revelation (Dei Verbum)
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium)
Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World
(Gaudium et Spes)
Costello Publishing Company

Empowering Catechetical Leaders
Thomas H. Groome, General Editor
Michael J. Corso, Managing Editor
National Catholic Educational Association

Religious Education at the Crossroads: Moving On in the Freedom of the Spirit
Francoise Darcy-Berube
Paulist Press

National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation
Available through National Conference for Catechetical Leadership

The Effective DRE
A Skills Development Series
Richard Reichert, Series Editor
Loyola Press

The Effective DRE
A Theology Series
Tom Walters, Series Editor
Loyola Press

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

I Like Being in Parish Ministry
Catechetical Leader: DRE and CRE
Christopher Anderson
Twenty-Third Publications

Handing on The Faith: The Church’s Mission and Challenge
Robert P. Imbelli, Editor
The Crossroad Publishing Company

Sent Not Alone
Weekly Meditations on the National Directory for Catechesis
David Thomas
National Conference for Catechetical Leadership








Media Wise Back to School Guide

Get ready for school with the
MediaWise
® Back to School Guide

There is a lot of pressure on parents at the start of the school year to equip their kids with what they need to succeed in school, both socially and academically. At the same time, companies are spending billions of dollars telling you exactly what they need and where to buy it.

The National Institute on Media and the Family has designed the MediaWise Back to School Guide to help parents, teachers and catechists answer these questions: What do kids really need to succeed? Will a computer help my child in school? What should I do about cell phones? How do I encourage my child to read? And more.