Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS)

What is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
Catechesis of teh Good Shepherd, also known as CGS, was created 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. CGS 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. 

CGS at Saint Michael is a weekly program that runs from October through May. Different sessions for each level are offered during the week. Each session is 90 minutes and is a drop off and pick up program. Questions about CGS? Please contact Andrea Zachman at azachman@stmcatholicchurch.org or 763-497-2745 x216.

Learn More About CGS

CGS Level's and Content:

• CGS Level One for 3 1/2 - 6 year old's: 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.
• CGS Level Two for 6 - 9 year old's: 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.
• CGS Level Three for 9 - 12 year old's: In 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.