Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Would you like to help your child enjoy a deeper relationship with God? The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based approach to the religious formation of children, rooted in Sacred Scripture, Liturgy, and respect for the child’s rich relationship with God.

Central to CGS is the atrium, a room containing beautiful materials that focus the child’s attention on key Scripture passages or liturgical moments. After an introduction by the catechist, the children are invited to work with a material on their own to continue their meditation. Because children learn by using their hands, working with materials allows them to enter more deeply into meditation, nurturing their relationship with God.

St. Benedict Catholic Church offers two levels of CGS, depending on the age of the child: Level I (3-6 year olds), Level II (6-9 year olds).

Each level contains three years of presentations. While a child may start as early as 3 years old, if your child is 5 or 6, he or she may spend two years in a Level I atrium and then transition into a Level II environment. If your child has never experienced this method of religious formation and is 6 years old or older, he or she might begin directly in a Level II environment, depending on the ages of other children in our program.