Books by Bishop Paprocki
Running for a Higher Purpose
8 Steps to Spiritual and Physical Fitness

Product Details
- Pages: 160
- ISBN: 9781646800452
- Format: Paperback
- Publication Date: March 26, 2021
- Imprint: Ave Maria Press
What if you could improve your physical health while deepening your spiritual life? In Running for a Higher Purpose, Most Rev. Thomas John Paprocki, Catholic bishop of Springfield—a marathon runner and hockey player—shares how the simple discipline of running can help you unlock profound spiritual benefits.
Paprocki took up running as a teenager for his health; he ran his first marathon in his forties. Along the way he discovered that improving your physical health through running is a way to honor God and grow deeper in your spiritual life.
Perfect for those who want to try running for the first time as well as for more experienced runners who want to set goals for a new challenge, Running for a Higher Purpose offers eight steps to reach spiritual and physical fitness.
Each chapter includes an inspirational quotation, a personal promise statement, and a prayer.
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Holy Goals for Body and Soul
Eight Steps to Connect Sports with God and Faith

Product Details
- Pages: 160
- ISBN: 9781594713668
- Format: Paperback
- Publication Date: March 11, 2013
- Imprint: Ave Maria Press
Hockey-playing Catholic bishop Thomas J. Paprocki has a message for teens and young adults: athletics and fitness provide daily ways to connect with God. Bishop Paprocki weaves his unique personal story with eight athletic topics and connects them with a path to wholeness.
Holy Goals for Body and Soul: Eight Steps to Connect Sports with God and Faith links lessons from the world of sports and fitness—especially the experiences of a Catholic bishop who plays ice hockey—with concrete ways to live a holy life. In Bishop Paprocki’s view, everyone is called to holiness, which can be encountered anywhere: “I encounter holiness while training for a marathon. I encounter holiness during a workout at the health club.” He explores eight sports-related topics to help the reader navigate a life of holiness: Fear, Frustration, Failure, Fortitude, Faith, Friendship, Family, and Fun