The Good Shepherd is increasing His flock! We have exciting things happening in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) at Nativity Parish. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd uses Montessori teaching principles to present the most essential realities of the Catholic faith to even very young children and explore areas of faith formation appropriate to their developmental age, such as:
*The Life of Christ
*The Wonder of the Kingdom of God
*The Plan of God/History of the Kingdom of God
*Sacraments
*Moral Formation through parables, virtues, maxims, and service
*The Holy Bible, including Old and New Testament Studies
We now offer CGS to our Day School students, K-5 Nativity students, and will offer a class for 3-6 year olds that are not enrolled in NPS Day School this fall and resume with our K, 1 Religious Education students. We also offer a three week study in the Atrium for our second graders in Religious Education as they prepare for First Holy Communion.
Questions? Please email Sara at the following email address:
[email protected]
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is an approach to the religious formation of children, 3- 12 years of age. It originated in 1954 with the founding of the children’s center or “atrium” in Rome, Italy by Sophia Cavaletti. Inspired by Montessori principles of education, it now extends to many countries around the world. Atriums can be found in home, parish, and school settings. Many parishes in our archdiocese have atriums and CGS is growing worldwide.
The atrium is a room which is dedicated to the spiritual formation of our young parishioners. It is the specially prepared space where the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd takes place. The catechesis is based on the conviction that God and the child are in relationship. The child has a deep need to experience and a special capacity to enjoy the presence of God. What sets the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd apart from most other methods of learning is that it has no “textbook” but rather many “hands on” materials. Using a Montessori-based approach, materials handcrafted by our parishioners help the young children learn about the Mass, Baptism, Bible Geography, History of the Life of Jesus, the Kingdom of God Parables, Practical Life, Art, and Prayer.
Small groups of children come together for a weekly session in the atrium, which introduces them to the Bible and the Liturgy—the two pillars of our faith. The weekly sessions, led by an adult catechist and assistants, begin with just 30 minutes as the children are oriented to rhythm of the atrium. In time, the sessions last for up to 60 minutes. Another essential aspect of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is the adult catechist. Catechists participate in several hours of formation related to three developmental levels, ages 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12.
Approximately 10 years ago, two mothers from Nativity set the groundwork for this beautiful program and we are now offer CGS thru 5th Grade. Class are offered through Nativity Parish School and Religious Education.
In order to grow further, we need trained catechists and aids. The program needs volunteers like you! You may offer your talent by assisting an hour or two a week, once a month, or what best suits your time allowances. Many fall in love with the program and desire to know and share more with the children and enroll in the catechists training. It is a beautiful way to dive deeper into the beauty of our faith and explore it with our children. If you are looking to go deeper in your faith life and plant seeds of faith in our children, please consider becoming an aid or catechist. Volunteers need to be Virtus trained.
Please contact Sara Baker for more information.