What Is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
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At St. Gertrude Church and School, we are blessed to offer the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. CGS, as it is commonly referred to, is a Montessori-influenced faith formation experience that is threefold:
While in the atrium, children are invited into prayer, given a presentation that is based on Scripture or liturgy, and allotted time for personal work. The catechist guides every child's need to “help me come closer to God by myself.” St. Gertrude Church and School is happy to offer CGS Level 1 (for children ages 3–6) and Level 2 (for children in grades 1-3). Regardless of which level they are in, children meet for 75 minutes, two times per month in one of the atria. |
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2023–2024 CGS Offerings
Registration for the 2023-2024 CGS sessions opened Thursday, April 13! If you have any questions, please contact Kristen Eggers.
New This Year: Perhaps our most exciting change for our 2023-2024 offerings is something that many parents of our youngest children have been requesting--Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will now meet weekly, rather than bi-weekly! This allows the children to benefit the most from this extraordinary program.
Note: Parents who wish to bring a child forward to receive First Reconciliation and First Communion in second grade should be sure to enroll their child in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as a first grader (if not before).
New This Year: Perhaps our most exciting change for our 2023-2024 offerings is something that many parents of our youngest children have been requesting--Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will now meet weekly, rather than bi-weekly! This allows the children to benefit the most from this extraordinary program.
Note: Parents who wish to bring a child forward to receive First Reconciliation and First Communion in second grade should be sure to enroll their child in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as a first grader (if not before).
2023-2024 Session & Calendars
Click on your child's session below to add the schedule to your calendar!
Click on your child's session below to add the schedule to your calendar!
*Children must be three years old by June 1, 2023, and fully potty-trained and independent in using the restroom. To ensure readiness, three-year-olds must attend a screening. After you register your three-year-old, we will be in touch to schedule the screening.
^Siblings of children in Level 3 have priority registration for this session.
^Siblings of children in Level 3 have priority registration for this session.
What Is the History of CGS?
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Beginning in the 1950’s, CGS was developed by two Italian Catholic laywomen, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. Sofia was a Hebrew scholar, and Gianna worked as a Montessori classroom educator. Together, Sofia and Gianna observed children for decades, learning the most essential Christian messages that met the spiritual desires for each age group. From this, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was born.
CGS began at St. Gertrude Parish in 2014. We’ve grown from having one temporary atrium space with a handful of trained catechists to two permanent atria and one portable atria with over 20 trained catechists in the school and church. Over 250 children are currently participating. |
What Do Children Learn?
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Level 1
Children ages 3–6 "He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” – John 10:3 Children in this age range are in the absorbent stage of development and filled with wonder and awe. Our youngest friends joyfully encounter the Good Shepherd and discover his unconditional love and care. They come to know Jesus as the light of the world (and love singing “Christ is light, in him there is no darkness”). While in the atrium your child might learn:
Level 2:
Children ages 6–9 Developmentally, 6- to 9-year-old children are ready for a deeper understanding of their relationship with Jesus, their families, and their communities. The parable of the true vine is central to their work as they ponder Jesus’ words: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”. While in the atrium, your child might learn:
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Through CGS, we also offer a beautiful meditation series for our children preparing for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion.
For more information about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, please visit www.cgsusa.org.
Contact
Mary Beth Thiemann
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Kristen Eggers
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If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Mary Beth Thiemann, coordinator of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, at mbthiemann@stgertrude.org, or Kristen Eggers, office coordinator, at kristen@stgertrude.org. You can also call the Evangelization office at (513) 561-5954. |
