Most of us who have grown up in the Catholic faith have had some sort of early training in the faith as children. For some it was memorizing the Baltimore Catechism. For others is was Sunday school, summer bible camp, Wednesday night classes, and even attending Catholic school. All of these experiences teach children about their Catholic faith, instilling morals for the rest of their lives, and helping them to develop a relationship with God.
One unique program that is seeing growth in the Fargo Diocese is the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). This program builds the already existing relationship a child as young as three years old has with God and fosters that relationship first before the learning about where the aspects of our Catholic faith.
CGS is an international program begun in Italy in 1954 by Sofia Cavaletti, a Catholic laywoman and theologian, and Maria Montessori educator Gianna Gobbi. Using the Montessori methods, the two women developed the program that has changed little since it’s inception. According to the CGS website:
“CGS is a common religious experience involving children and adults in which the religious values of childhood, primarily those values of contemplation and enjoyment of God, are predominant. This experience is shared in a place particularly prepared for the religious life of children called the Atrium.”
The “atrium” is at the center of any CGS experience. Typically, an atrium is designed to accommodate 10 to 12 children per session. It contains areas for contemplative study, one-on-one and group learning sessions, and prayer time. The atrium can be compared to a retreat center for children. It’s a place for reflection and prayer, not classroom study, which sets the CGS program apart from other, more traditional catechesis programs.
CGS level one has already been introduced in the Fargo Diocese. There are atriums currently operating at St. Michael’s in Grand Forks, Holy Spirit in Fargo, St. Anthony of Padua in Fargo, and coming this fall, an atrium will be established at Sts. Anne and Joachim in Fargo. The catechists for the Sts. Anne and Joachim atrium took part in a training session held the week of May 15 at St. Anthony’s, along with future CGS catechists from Little Flower Church in Rugby, and catechists from as far away as Alexandria, Minn.
“The CGS program is not a (typical) classroom setting where they’re being told something and receiving it,” said Brienna Dusec, who leads the CGS program at St. Anthony’s parish. “They are actually learning it for themselves. They are experiencing it for themselves, they’re hearing scripture as it is written in the Bible, and it’s also a place of silence and prayer, which they don’t always get outside of this setting. It’s one of our priorities to make this a place of quiet and prayer. That’s part of what the catechist training emphasizes.”
The program is divided into age groups. Level one is for 3-6 year olds, level two for 6-9 year olds, level three for 9-12 year olds, and so on. A dedicated room, the atrium, is set up to accommodate the different levels. The program typically runs from September through May, meeting once a week. The two hour sessions consist of gathering at the prayer table, then discussing aspects of the current liturgical season, what kids saw at Mass, etc. The children are then dismissed to work with material they’ve been shown earlier with the help of an assistant catechist. One-on-one or small group gatherings continue in the atrium for new presentations. The children are then invited back to the prayer table to talk about a scripture verse or a phrase they may have heard at Mass. Prayer and song close out the session.
“The youngest children concentrate on ‘work’ in practical life like pouring, control of movement, care of the environment, then move into liturgical presentations,” said Dusec. “We know through Montessori’s observations and methods that this works, that silence and prayer and contemplation is what these children need. That will never change no matter what the culture is giving us.”
Kate Haugrud has been leading the CGS program at St. Joseph’s in Moorhead, Minn. Her program has expanded to include level two and is in its fourth year. Haugrud says instilling a habit of quiet time serves children well into their teens and adulthood.
“Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is beautiful in that it gives them that opportunity for quiet contemplation and prayer,” said Haugrud. “As adults, we need that as well, and it’s hard to find that, so it’s critical to instill that in the developing child. Three year olds are not very good at quiet time in the beginning of the year, but by the time the end of the sessions roll around, they are able to enter into this beautiful state of quiet contemplation, working independently with materials, and pondering the beautiful mysteries of our faith.”
If your parish or school is interested in starting a CGS program, information can be found at www.cgsusa.org. An informational video can be found on YouTube at youtu.be/hfg9RfBk-fY.