Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was founded in Rome in 1954 and is a result of a very long period of careful observation of children by Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and her Montessori collaborator, Professor Gianna Gobbi. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children. It is rooted in the Bible, the Liturgy of the church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has a profound respect for children and their rich capacity for relationship with God.

At Saint Michael CGS runs from October through May, with different sessions for each level are offered at multiple times and days of the week. The 2021-2022 CGS season is as follows:

• Level One (Age 3 1/2-6): Monday 9:30-11:00 AM and 2:45-4:15 PM / Saturday 8:30-10:00 AM
• Level Two (Age 6-9): Thursday 9:30-11:00 AM and 3:30-5:00 PM / Saturday 8:30-10:00 AM
• Level Three (Age 9-12): Tuesday 3:00-4:30 PM

Each session is 1.5 hours and is a drop off and pick up program, unless a parent wished to serve the atrium as an assistant for the year. The cost for CGS is $50 per child.

CGS Calendars for 2021-2022

• CGS Level One and Level Two Saturday Calendar
• CGS Level One Monday Calendar 
• CGS Level Two Thursday Calendar
• CGS Level Three Tuesday Calendar 

If you have questions about the program or would like to served as a volunteer or trained lead, contact Andrea Zachman at azachman@stmcatholicchurch.org or 763-497-2745.

Level One: 3 1/2 - 6 year olds

Children in level one will spend time enjoying and nurturing a relationship with the Good Shepherd. They will be immersed in the atrium and work with materials that focus on the life of Christ, the Church, the geography of Israel, the Paschal Mystery, the Infancy Narratives, the Parables, and the Sacraments. The children come to know who God is and who they are to God and to the Church as they are becoming more active participants in their faith.

Level Two: 6 - 9 year olds

Building off the level one materials and presentation, children will learn more passages of Scripture that talk about the life of Christ and his moral teachings. This allows them to understand how to stay on the True Vine. Their love and knowledge are strengthened and deepened as they explore the Liturgy and the Sacrament Rites, the prayers of the Mass, and the History of the Kingdom of God. Each child will get to make their own Roman Missal during the level two. Communal prayer ends each session, which offers songs, prayers, petitions, and Scripture readings.

Level Three: 9 - 12 year olds

Level three children delve into the mystery of God’s covenant relationship with us through Salvation History while focusing on Biblical Typology linking Old and New Testament Scripture to Sacred History and Liturgy. Children in level three unpack the Eucharistic Liturgy like never before as they study the prayers and responses, and moments of the Mass. Level three also reflects on the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick.