dialogue around the meaning of the words we use when speaking of the mystery we call GOD
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... Continue Reading →
From time to time we all experience big events in our lives that change things...that change everything. We might call them “Before and After” events. They are the experiences that we refer to like “Before we had children” or “After Mom died." "Before the car" accident or "After graduation." When I was a little kid... Continue Reading →
Evangelization is a bit of a spooky word for us Catholics. It's not a notion that we embrace quite as comfortably as our Protestant brothers and sisters do. Personally, when I hear the word, the first images that come to mind are that of a sweaty, screaming tele-evangelist that swindles old people out of their... Continue Reading →
“Tradition is to the community what memory is to the individual" - John O'Donohue Let’s cut to the chase – it’s been a rough few years for us Catholics. Well, maybe we should say a rough 17 or 70 years given the sexual abuse crisis? Or a rough 1000 years since the Crusades? Well, dang,... Continue Reading →
A catechist is the "Keeper of the Memory of God," a witness of the source of our hope, and an educator who accompanies those desiring to know more about our loving God and the most essential mysteries of our faith and tradition. The word "catechesis" is derived from the Greek word meaning "to echo." In... Continue Reading →
Faith Formation PreK-7th grade here at Christ the Redeemer is rooted in the contemplative, Montessori-based style of spiritual development called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). CLICK HERE to view some photos of our atria spaces. Below is a short 3-minute video that gives an overview of our program too: https://youtu.be/0Uw0Gu3iIao CGS uses Montessori... Continue Reading →
I, like virtually every Catholic female I know, have some pretty strong feelings about being a woman in the church. For me, some are good. Very good. I am grateful to have worked for visionary and forward-thinking priests in all my 27 years of formal employment in the church; men who value, listen, and actively... Continue Reading →
As you may or may not know, I work as a Director of Religious Education at a large suburban parish in the Detroit area. Recently, our Faith Formation and Education Department was renamed “Discipleship Formation.” My teenage daughter frowned when she heard this new name and said “discipleship? Sounds like a cult or something.” Quite... Continue Reading →
The traditional definition of a Sacrament is "an external sign of God's internal presence and acting" or "an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace." 1 We hold a strong conviction that God wishes to communicate with us, every minute of every day. That is why many theologians speak of grace as "God's... Continue Reading →
“Our lives are about trying to imitate the God we believe in. But, we are so used to the ‘One-False-Move’ God we're not accustomed to the ‘No-Matter-What-ness’ of God: the God who is too busy loving us to be disappointed with us! This is the hardest thing to believe, yet everybody knows it is the... Continue Reading →
STRONG LANGUAGE: 