Children's Ministry
K3 - 5th grade
"If God is presented to the child through tangible and meaningful activities, it will do more for the child than
just arouse interest; it will create in the child
a sense of joy, admiration, and wonder."
-Maria Montessori
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children beginning at the age of 3.
It seeks to create and facilitate a sacred, “hands-on” space for children called an atrium, in which both the children and their catechists can hear, ponder, and celebrate the most essential mysteries of the Catholic faith as revealed in Sacred Scripture and in the Liturgy.
Originally developed in Rome by two Italian women, Sofia Cavalletti (a Hebrew Scripture Scholar) and Gianna Gobbi (an Expert Montessorian- trained directly under Maria Montessori) in the 1950s, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd continues to spread worldwide.
Being in the atrium is not like being in a classroom - the atrium is a room specially prepared just for the children to help them meet Jesus in a special way. It is a reflective atmosphere, but also a celebrative one!
Ages 3 - 6
The children are introduced to the core elements of the life of Jesus, including the Infancy Narratives, the parables, and the geography in which Jesus lived along with the core elements of the Mass and the Liturgical year - to name just a few! The children are encouraged and guided to be independent, to be thoughtful, respectful, and prayerful as they do meaningful “works.”
Grades 1, 2, 3
A Year of Sacramental Preparation:
The Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist are an extension of the life of faith. With this in mind, children are required to participate in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for at least one year in addition to their Sacramental preparation year.
Traditionally, preparation for the Sacraments is done in 2nd grade, but every child is on a different spiritual journey. In order to assist the child in learning to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, the child needs time in the Atrium.
If your child is joining our program in 2nd grade, please anticipate that your child will need to wait until 3rd grade to prepare for the Sacraments in this program
Grades 3, 4, 5
How do we live out our faith?
Level 3 focuses on the History of Salvation. It includes an in-depth study of God’s plan for all people, a Biblical study of the prophets, Creation, Sin, the Virtues, as well as the Mass and God’s law of love!
The emphasis is our response to the unfolding of God’s generous gifts and the responsibilities that come with it. “What is the kingdom of God and my place in it?”
Each year, as children and adults attend religious education, they continue their journey to Christ. Growing in faith yearly is vital to passing it on. Parents and adults must deepen their relationship with God to pass on faith effectively. Understanding Catholicism is key to spiritual growth. Dedicated volunteer teachers help guide students spiritually.
Disclaimers:
To best serve the learning needs of our students, we will limit the class size to 10 for L1 and 15 for L2. Please be aware that if the class you want to register for is full, you will be offered an alternate class time.
We will offer a L2 (1st-3rd grade) class again on Tuesdays (6-7:15 p.m.) for the 2026-2027 year. We will need 6 or more children to be registered. Otherwise, we will cancel this Tuesday option, and they will be asked to move to Sunday or Monday class times.
For more information,
contact Diane Schimelfenyg, the Director of Children’s Ministry.