Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
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Sunday Mornings & Monday Afternoons at Saint Mary Campus
Sessions are Sundays 9:15am - 10:15am and Mondays 4:30 - 5:30pm at St. Mary campus. Please email Darleen Farland at [email protected] to register. Open for children ages 3 - 5.
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Origins:
Originated in 1954 by Sofia Cavalletti, a biblical scholar, and Gianna Gobbi, an educator of children and teachers, Level 1 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd helps the young child ages 3-5 (and their catechists) enter into a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus.
It seeks to create a sacred space for children called the Atrium, in which both the children and their catechists can hear, ponder and celebrate the most essential mysteries of our Catholic faith as revealed in Scriptures and the Liturgy. This leads little children, and quite often their entire families, to come to a deep appreciation for the sacraments and above all, the Eucharist. -
Photos of the Atrium
Our Atrium moved to Room 1 (under the offices) for the 2023-2024 school year! Check out some photos:
CLICK HERE
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What is it?It is a very special program for children ages 3, 4 and 5 called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. This program began with Maria Montessori and was then developed by Sofia Cavaletti and Gianna Gobbi. For over 50 years, these women worked with young children, observing what they were naturally interested in, and using different “works” which included manipulatives like figures of Mary and Elizabeth when learning about the Annunciation, or a child sized altar and items of the altar to learn about the mass, for example. This program has been used for the past 75 years around the globe, has been lovingly researched along the way and is now going to be offered at our own church.
The Atrium is the name of the room we set up specifically for children aged 3-5 where they can experience the love and mystery of God through the use of manipulatives especially researched to be just right for this age level. By the experiences in the Atrium, the child comes to understand the love, joy and protection of God, life in the church, and to develop and discover on their own, a personal relationship with God. Furniture and hanging pictures are all at a child’s size and eye level. The Atrium should have furnishings similar to a church – so whenever possible, child size wooden tables and chairs, cabinets and wooden boxes to hold the special works that illustrate stories from the bible, teach about the love of God and about life in the church. Items are ideally provided by members of the parish, and many must be hand-made so the children can see the love their church family has for them and that they have created a special place just for them.
Anyone interested in assisting in the Atrium should see Pamela Cross or Darleen Farland or email Darleen at [email protected] and let us know. Training will be provided.
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