Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provides children space to encounter God on their own

By Carissa Krautscheid

“We believe God and the child have a unique relationship with one another. Children need their own place to foster the growth of that relationship. The growth of this relationship is assisted by the adult but is directed by the Spirit of God within the child.” This is the mission statement of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), an alternative approach to religious education.

“The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was born from the joy of the children’s encounter with God,” the CGS website explains. “It has been observed that children of the same developmental stage, even those from widely varying cultural backgrounds, respond to elements of the Christian message in the same way.”

This model of religious education was developed in 1954 by Sofia Cavalletti in Rome when she observed “a way of being in the presence of God that is both unique to the child and a gift to the adult who stops long enough to notice” (CGS). Cavalletti began collaborating with Montessori educator, Gianna Gobbi, to incorporate hands-on three-dimensional wood representations of scripture stories, sacraments, and the Mass.

Parishes with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd have a special space called the atrium. “The atrium (or prepared environment) is one of the important elements that helps the relationship between God and the child to flourish. The environment doesn’t have to remain an invisible partner, but rather can be intentionally shaped. The environment itself is a teacher that invites the children to explore and deepen their experience of the presentation at their own rhythm. The most important characteristic of the materials is their close link to the biblical and liturgical sources. The shelves might include maps of Israel and miniature environments representing the elements of the parables or the historical events from the infancy or paschal narratives that have been shown to satisfy the spiritual needs of the child. The model altar and its articles convey the centrality of the Eucharist. The Baptismal font and other liturgical items initiate the child into the liturgical life of the church” (CGS).

“We believe there is a deep bond between God and the child which produces in the child the desire to draw nearer to God. The adult catechist’s role is to prepare the environment, to offer selected presentations from scripture and liturgy. The catechist listens with the child and together they ask, ‘God, who are you? How do you love us?’ The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd divests itself of any strictly scholastic character, so as to become an experience of life, an education in faith, and a celebration of the encounter with the Father, in listening to Jesus, the one Teacher, and in obedience to the Holy Spirit” (CGS).

This religious formation is offered in four age groups, starting with the youngest children: infants and toddlers, 3-6-year-olds, 6-9-year-olds, and 9-12-year-olds. CGS can be found in more than 65 countries, with over 1,250 programs across the United States.

Bishop Edward Weisenburger supports this model of catechesis that is currently offered at three parishes across the Diocese of Tucson: St. Pius X and Our Lady of La Vang/St. Francis Cabrini in Tucson, and St. Andrew the Apostle in Sierra Vista.

Norma Cable is a local coordinator of CGS at St. Pius X Catholic Church in northeast Tucson. She first heard about this model for religious education from her sister. “I began my own formation to be a catechist when my twin sons turned three,” said Cable. “I wanted to be able to offer it to them. I learned so much about our faith from going to formation! It is the best thing I have ever done to grow in my faith.”

During just the second week of CGS at St. Pius, one of the young girls exclaimed, "I love this place. It's the best thing ever!"

Cable shared, “It is such a gift to see how the children respond and in many ways their response teaches us about God. We listen together with the young children and hear the great love the Good Shepherd has. We wonder at the beauty of creation, and the many gifts God gives us in this world. We think about the people who have come before us and the inventions and gifts they gave us that we continue to use today. Along the way, we work with the children about the colors, gestures, and items they see at the Mass so they can participate more fully there.”

Adults and parishes interested in offering The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd are invited to attend a ‘seed planting’ on Saturday, March 2 at Our Lady of La Vang/St. Frances Cabrini at 10am; or Thursday, March 7 at St. Pius X from 6-7:30pm.