More about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
CGS at OMC School...
OMC
2017-18
"The youngest children lead us to the deepest mysteries of our faith."
Rebekah Rojcewicz
Wonder requires " the opportunity to be able to stop a while and dwell on reality, since wonder is not for those who are superficial or in a hurry… Children have an immense capacity to pause and ponder, to contemplate the meaning of things." The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey
There is perhaps no greater gift we can offer a child than time.
Time to pause and ponder.
Time to work at their own pace, with materials that invite them into deeper consideration of scripture and our liturgical traditions.
Time in the atrium is a gift for children and the adults who serve them.
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) has been formed in the wisdom of the Montessori method and the living Tradition of the Catholic Church, paying attention both to “who is the child” and “Who is God”. In serving the mystery of the great love of God and the child, CGS finds that both child and adult are called to ‘listen to God together’.
Children in PK3, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 come to the Atrium of Consolation for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) each week, half the class at a time, for an hour and a half each. This year, PreK4 only meets for 45 minutes a week per group, as does grade 2. Most weeks the parents of these children receive a Parent Letter to give them a sense of what the presentation in the atrium was, and how that might be connected with home and with being at church with the child.
Attention to the child’s religious potential in the youngest years, their potential to fall in love with God who is Love, will be the foundation on which is built the capacity for moral response and ‘staying in love’ with God in the years to come. Having CGS over these five years in OMC School allows the child to grow the relationship with the Good Shepherd as a foundation for growing communion with Him and others.
The catechist
The catechist responds to a call, the invitation from Jesus, “Whoever welcomes a little child such as this welcomes Me and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but Him who sent Me.” The catechist realizes that to serve God and the child is to be present to a great mystery of love. We see ourselves as ‘matchmakers’ who need to grow in love and knowledge of both the child and God. Each catechist is certified at least to the Level of CGS that she serves here at OMC.
These are our jobs:
* To prepare the atrium environment, ourselves, the presentation, and the materials for the child's work
* To listen to God with the children
* To assist the child to build the capacity to participate in the life of the atrium
Who are the catechists at OMC? Go to Parent Letters page to see more details.
Assistants
Each catechist has a trained assistant. At OMC, these assistants are also trained catechists, or at least halfway through their training. Their assistance is critical to the life in the atrium.
Training
Formation courses are offered at OMC under the auspices of the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
The Level I course forms the adult to serve the child of 3 to 6 years old; Level II, to serve the child of 6 to 9 years old; Level III, to serve the child of 9-12 years old. Each course is approximately 90 hours of in-course time, structured to be a kind of retreat, with theological and practical preparation for the work.
To keep posted on local CGS courses, or other local events related to CGS, check this site regularly. Please discern if you hear the Good Shepherd's voice calling you.
Curriculum
The curriculum on all three levels has two main sources: the Bible and the Liturgy. It is a spiral curriculum. For more on the curriculum, read our parent letters (see tab above). For a brief overview, click on the file on bottom right of this page.
The Triangle of Catechesis
We are all part of the 'triangle of catechesis' (family, parish and school) within the circle of God's love for each child. CGS catechists and assistants pray that the joy and knowledge that is the fruit of the children's time in the atrium will be received as a gift and nurtured by all of us. We can take child size steps together with Jesus the Good Shepherd and in communion with Him, one another, and the church family.
More about CGS
This website is delightfully simple and informative.
Go here for more reading about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and here for more about OMC parish and the parish welcome to adults, children and families.
The image at top of page is from the home page of the website of the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. This website is a rich resource.
Written by Barb Matera who is presently on the Board of the National Association, this article is from Pastoral Liturgy and is titled The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: A Way of Experiencing God.
32 points of Reflection The 32 characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Please take time to enjoy this video about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. (7 minute video)
curriculum.docx | |
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