CATECHESIS

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a unique approach religious education that nurtures a profound and joyful connection between children and God. Deeply rooted in the Montessori method, CGS celebrates the spiritual values inherent in childhood, emphasizing contemplation of the deepest mysteries of our faith and the enjoyment of God.

Dr. Maria Montessori, the visionary behind this approach, believed that her educational philosophy would find its deepest fruition in the realm of spiritual formation and religious expression. She famously observed, “Joy is the indicator of interior growth, just as an increase in weight is the indication of bodily growth.” Just as we parents recognize that our children are receiving adequate nutrition when we observe their physical growth, the joy a child expresses when encountering certain religious themes indicates that these concepts resonate with deep, vital needs within the child’s spirit.

The Atrium: A Sacred Learning Space

Montessori said that what children love is a place where things are solemn and important. To this end, at the heart of CGS is an orderly, sacred learning environment called an Atrium. In the ancient Christian church, the atrium was a space between the street and the main church building used to prepare new believers for baptism. In CGS, the Atrium serves a similar purpose; this carefully prepared space is designed to help focus children’s attention on key scripture passages and liturgical moments; it is a place of encounter where children prepare for full and active participation in the life of the church.

A typical day in the Atrium begins with prayer, followed by a short lesson designed to invite children to “listen for God” through a featured Bible passage or by contemplating the sacred words heard during our Eucharistic prayer. Scripture and Liturgy are the two pillars of CGS: our story and our prayers. The material is presented objectively, with adults carefully avoiding imposing their own interpretations. This approach fosters a shared attitude of humility and openness to the mystery of God, recognizing that faith formation is a lifelong pursuit, and that Christ is only teacher in the Atrium.

Following the group presentation, children enjoy independent time to explore well-researched, handmade, hands-on materials designed to deepen their understanding of the day’s lesson. This exploration often results in unique personal responses, such as original drawings, prayers, or poems. We have three Atrium spaces at Christ Church Grosse Pointe, each tailored to different age groups:

• Atrium One: PreK – 1st grade
• Atrium Two: 2nd – 4th grade (with 8th graders serving as assistants)
• Atrium Three: 5th – 7th grade

CGS employs a spiral method of instruction, revisiting key themes such as Baptism, Geography, Scripture, Liturgy, Kingdom Parables, and the Paschal Mystery each year. This approach allows for a progressive deepening of understanding, with each year building upon and expanding the knowledge gained in previous years. For instance, the geography lessons in Atrium One introduces only three cities – Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth – and then Atrium Two expands to include pin maps featuring four regions, fourteen cities, and thirteen waterways and mountains. This gradual expansion of knowledge helps children develop a richer understanding of the Holy Land’s geography, enhancing their engagement with Scripture readings during the Eucharist.

All activities in the Atrium are carefully designed to foster deeper participation in the liturgy, a more profound grasp of sacred scriptures, and more meaningful engagement in our shared Christian life. Ultimately, CGS aims to help children draw nearer to God and see themselves as the vital contributors they are to our ongoing 2000+-year continuum of discipleship and the building of God’s Kingdom.

Get Involved

If you are interested in supporting our children’s faith formation programming here at Christ Church, please contact Lisa Brown at LBrown@christchurchgp.org. If you are just interested in learning more about the CGS methodology there is a whole slew of articles and resources on the national website HERE.