archive
Alumni Spotlight: Joe Paprocki (BA ’81, MPS ‘85)
How did your education at IPS prepare you for your ministerial vocation? My IPS education was so on target and practical...it was not pie-in-the sky. My courses and professors were in touch with the real world of ministry and prepared me to meet the challenges and experience the opportunities that await us in the Lord's vineyard.
What is the single most transformative event in your education at IPS? Without the doubt, the most transformative event at IPS was encountering outstanding professors who opened my eyes to new ways of encountering Jesus in the Gospels, and inviting others to encounter him. After most classes, I felt that I could relate to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus who said, "were not our hearts burning within us?" and I couldn't wait to get back into my ministerial setting to pass along the insights I was being blessed with.
Advice for current students and soon-to-be graduates about the life of ministry. The Church desperately needs your fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Ministry is a challenge but it is also extremely rewarding. Go into it with eyes wide open, being sure that you are properly compensated for what you do while relying on God's grace to sustain you spiritually.
