Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

WHAT IS THE CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD? 
 
The Catechesis of The Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children which came about over 50 years ago through the work of two lay women in Rome: Dr. Sophia Cavelletti, a Catholic Hebrew Scholar, and Gianna Gobbi, a Catholic teacher trained by Maria Montessori. They were inspired by the educational principles of Maria Montessori, also a Catholic. The work is drawn from the Scripture and the Liturgy and takes place in a carefully prepared environment, referred to as the atrium, with materials prepared according to the Montessori Method. 

The primary aim of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is to invite the children to fall in love with Jesus, the Good Shepherd. They come to discover that “…the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name…” (Jn 10:3), that He loves His sheep, lays down His life for His sheep, and feeds them with Himself in the Eucharist.   
  In addition, this work aims to familiarize the child with the signs and gestures of the liturgy so to prepare the child for participation in Holy Mass.
 

WHAT IS AN ATRIUM? 
An Atrium is a carefully prepared environment, a sacred space, in which a child may ponder with awe and wonder, his or her unique relationship with God and the great mysteries of his faith at his own pace. This is facilitated by the opportunity for quiet reflection and work with tangible materials. All of the materials in the atrium are made to child-sized proportions and once the child is shown how to use the material, he is free to use them on his own, as he feels ready.
 
The Atrium is a place where the child is encouraged and invited to be comfortable in the silence, to speak softly, to walk slowly, to listen, to move carefully, to respect the space and work of other children and to wait for his turn to use the materials.
 
The Atrium is neither a classroom nor the church, but, as in the early days of the church, a place of preparation for involvement in the larger worshipping community. 

WHAT IS PRESENTED IN THE ATRIUM? 
The children’s time in the Level I atrium begins with practical life exercises such as sorting, pouring, folding, hand washing, polishing, and flower arranging. Mastery in these exercises prepares the child to care for the atrium and to develop a life of contemplation and prayer. The atrium continues with presentations and related work with altar materials, liturgical colors, geography, the gestures of the Eucharist, Advent Prophecies, Infancy Narratives, Kingdom Parables, Parables of the Good Shepherd, The Paschal Narratives of the Cenacle (Last Supper), The City of Jerusalem, the Resurrection, and Baptism. These themes are coordinated with the Liturgical year of the Church. Each session includes a gathering, individual and small group presentations, ample time for the child to work individually with the materials, and concludes with communal prayer. 
 
While the time spent in the Level I atrium (for ages 3-6) focuses on the parable of the Good Shepherd, as the child moves to the Level II atrium (for ages 6-12) they come to discover that Jesus is “…the vine, you are the branches, whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit.” (Jn 15:5)  To prepare the child to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist, the Moral Parables are introduced: the Pharisee, the Tax Collector, the Good Samaraitan, the Found Sheep, the Found Coin and the Prodigal Son, as well as the History of the Kingdom of God and a deepening reflection on the parts of the Mass.

WHAT DOES THE CHILD DO IN THE ATRIUM?    
The child and the Catechist listen together to the words from Sacred Scripture or the Liturgy and Sacraments. Together, they prayerfully ponder and wonder at their meaning. 
 
In response to the Word, the child then chooses various “work”, making possible an inner dialogue between the child and the Holy Spirit, the “Interior Teacher.” Examples of the materials used for this work are three-dimensional representations of a scripture passage, items that can be found in Baptism, liturgical items, or three-dimensional maps of Israel.

WHO ARE THE CATECHISTS? HOW ARE THEY PREPARED?
In preparation to lead this work, each catechist participates in a 90-hour Formation session, writes comprehensive pages for each presentation, gathers and makes most of her own materials and assists another Catechist in an established Atrium for at least half a year. All work flows from the Sacred Scriptures and the Liturgy. All work is in accordance with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the Rites of the Sacraments. The catechists and assistants involved with this program at St. Andrew School volunteer with deep passion and joy for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and the children they serve.

CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD AT SAINT ANDREW SCHOOL 
Atrium of the Precious Cross 
Saint Andrew School has a Level I atrium and a Level II atrium both  located in the Library Media Building.
 
Pre-K-4 students attend the Level I atrium for weekly sessions on Thursday mornings with Mrs. Rosey Lester.
                                                 
Kindergarten students attend the Level I atrium for weekly sessions on Tuesdays with Mrs. Christine Brenner and Mrs. Meg Dierkes.
 
First graders attend the Level II atrium for weekly sessions on Tuesdays with Mrs. Mary Jane Mrazik.
 

If you would like to visit and observe the atrium, or become a volunteer assistant, please 
contact Meg Dierkes or Mary Jane Mrazik     

"If we want to help the child draw nearer to God, we should with patience and courage
  seek to go always closer to the vital nucleus of things. This requires study and prayer.
  The child will be our teacher if we know how to observe." -- Sofia Cavalletti