TRAINING INFO & REGISTRATION

What is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children. It is rooted in Sacred Scripture, Catholic doctrine, the liturgy of the Church, prayer, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. Children gather in an “atrium,” a room prepared for them, which contains simple yet beautiful materials they use to help them absorb the most essential proclamations of the Christian faith.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a sensorially rich experience for children from the ages of 3 to 12 years that gives children the opportunity to grow in love and knowledge of God through the Christian tradition. (From www.cgsusa.org)

Becoming a CGS Catechist

Catechists are trained to prepare the environment and give presentations with specific materials that assist the child in drawing closer to God. In a prayerful, retreat-like atmosphere children are given the opportunity to use the materials independently in order to meditate upon the sacred mysteries of our faith.

The presentations are grouped into three levels. Level I is for the 3-6 year old child. Level II is for the 6-9 year old child. Level III is for the 9-12 year old child. Catechists must begin their training in Level I before being trained in Level II and III. Trainings are offered in a variety of formats and require 90 hours for completion.

CGS is a method of handing on the faith to children that follows the rhythm of the life of the Catholic Church according to the liturgical seasons and key events in the life of Jesus Christ. The catechist is provided training for each presentation and given guidance in the making of the materials that will be used in the presentations. Through a collaborative effort, the participants in the training course will write album pages (lessons plans) that will aid the catechist in future presentations to children.

If you would like to learn more about the CGS approach, contact Claudia Schmitt at claudia.schmitt@sfxphx.org and/or Michelle Finley at michelle.finley@sfxphx.org.

Neighboring Parishes with Adoration on Friday:

Most Holy Trinity Parish at 8620 N. 7th Street: Mass at 7:00am

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish at 2312 E. Campbell Avenue: Mass at 8:30 am and Adoration from 6:00am-4:00pm.

St. Vincent de Paul Parish at 3140 N. 51st Avenue: Mass at 7:00am and Adoration from 7:30am-5:45pm.