Southern Nebraska Register
An information meeting will be held Feb. 9 for adults wishing to learn more about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a religious education program currently available to preschoolers and kindergarteners in parishes of the Diocese of Lincoln.
The information meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at St. Teresa Parish, 735 S. 36th St., Lincoln, for those adults with children who could attend the program, or for those adults interested in training to be an educator.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) started in the 1950s in Italy. Two women, one a Hebrew scripture scholar and the other a Montessorian, identified which scripture passages seemed to resonate the most deeply with the children, drawing on their extensive experience praying with children and observing them work in the room prepared for the children, known as the “atrium.”
The women, Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, created hands-on materials for the children to use while contemplating the scripture. One such passage was the parable of the Good Shepherd, and Cavalletti and Gobbi wondered why the children returned to the story so often.
They later recounted that they heard the children saying they loved the story, “because the Good Shepherd knows my name!”
Guiding children into a personal, loving relationship with Christ is central to CGS.
Bishop James Conley called CGS “an incarnational, Christ-centered program that forms the whole person, body, mind and spirit, with a particular emphasis on the early imagination of a child.
“It is not enough to know about Jesus and his Church, we need to know Jesus himself in a personal and intimate way, through a real encounter,” the bishop said. “Through the beauty of the atrium, CGS creates an environment where a true encounter with Jesus can take place.”
Using the education process of Maria Montessori, Cavalletti and Gobbi divided children into three different levels, based on phases of human development. The three levels were eventually formalized into the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, which has spread throughout the world and has particularly grown in the United States over the last decade.
Rather than traditional catechesis, CGS stems from an openness to the Holy Spirit working, even in the youngest child. The child is allowed to independently choose which scripture or liturgical work he or she wants to do each week, with no expectations of tests.
Sessions for CGS meet once a week. Each week, children are given a presentation by an adult trained catechist. The presentations are tailored to the developmental understanding of the child, and follow the liturgical year of the Church. For example, during Advent, which the children know is signified by the color purple, and a time of waiting and preparation, children listen to the prophecies concerning the promise of a Savior and hear the scripture, including the Birth of Jesus and Adoration of the Shepherds.
After hearing the initial proclamation of the scripture, the children are invited to work with the materials associated with the presentation. They independently return to the scripture passages as often as they like throughout the entire year.
The children are shown that the atrium is a place of quiet and prayer, so their activities are called “work” instead of “play.” Through their work, the children internalize the scripture and contemplate it in a personal way. They begin to know that Jesus was a real person, who lived in a real place, and calls them by name to a relationship with Him.
Emily Hines, a parent and trained catechist, reflected, “There isn't any other activity for my children that allows so much quiet, time, and space for them to experience the life of the Church in a very hands-on way. My kids' days are loud and filled with rushing from one thing to the next. CGS gives them a space built specifically for their size and enough time to slow down to allow the learning to sink in. They learn they must quiet themselves to hear the voice of God. The quiet time and space allows their concentration to lead to contemplation.”
In the Diocese of Lincoln, CGS is currently offered in nine different parishes, and in each to a varying degree. Although the program is designed for children through age 12, only Level 1, for ages 3-6, and Level 2, for ages 6-9, are currently offered. The limitations to expanding the program include the starting cost of making materials, and the lack of formally-trained adult catechists to offer the sessions.
CGS requires the adult to receive training in the method in a way that is “retreat-like,” giving time and space to absorb the richness of what it means to live one’s baptismal covenant and grow in the love and knowledge of God.
Bishop Conley said CGS instructors are highly trained.
“I have seen first hand the fruits of this program,” he said. “I cannot recommend CGS highly enough.”
St. Teresa Parish in Lincoln plans to host formation opportunities, beginning in summer 2023, for Level 1 catechists.
Beth Ruhl, a catechist at St. Teresa, said her personal formation in CGS “has been integral to my understanding of my vocation as a mother.”
“Through formation and my time with my children in the atrium, I have found an incredible peace in surrendering my children to the true Teacher, Jesus Christ. I have freedom from anxiety about their future, knowing that I entrust them to the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep. I learned to wonder and enter into their little joys in their lives. The fruits of this program have been an incredible blessing to our family.”
General information about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd can be found at cgsusa.org, including “Find an atrium.” Information concerning local formation opportunities can be found at the St. Teresa Parish website: stlfchurch.org.
