By John Oven
Guest Column
For the past 7 years, St. Wenceslaus, Iowa City, has been the only parish in the diocese offering Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), but over the past two years it has multiplied with new atria in Colfax, Pella and Bloomfield. It is continuing to grow as each of these parishes are expanding the ages they serve.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a religious education program for 3-12 year-olds that is based on the methods of Maria Montessori. CGS provides children with a carefully prepared environment, called the atrium, that includes handmade materials where the children explore Scripture and liturgy, with a trained catechist, to encounter a personal relationship with Christ.
CGS isn’t just for families with children though. With the importance of handmade materials in the atrium, assembling, painting, or sewing materials is a great way for parishioners to get involved. Parishioners can grow in their own faith and serve the youngest members of the parish communities by getting involved as a catechist in the atrium.
One of the most notable advantages of the CGS program is that catechists are required to participate in 90-plus hours of formation for each level for which they would like to become a catechist. This ensures that the catechists are able to assist the children in growing in their spiritual life; they are not just volunteering to read out of a textbook to a class of children they see only on Wednesday nights.
Rachel Manley, who is a Toddler, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 catechist and Level 1 Formation Leader in Colfax, has found the CGS catechist formation impactful even with the time commitment involved. “As a busy mom, the thought of going through a 90-hour formation in order to serve young children is daunting. But, I cannot explain what a gift that time is; the formation is life-changing.” The CGS catechists are well-formed, allowing them to lead the children of the atrium and their parents by example to a life that is totally Catholic, every day.
During their peaceful work in the atrium, children are able to process what they have learned at home and in church about the Catholic faith and relate that knowledge to the Bible passages they hear from their catechists. The time in the atrium is so formative in the child’s spiritual life that it bears fruits for the parish.
Kelsey Steffen, a Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 catechist in Iowa City, says that “as children have progressed through the three levels of our program at St. Wenceslaus, it has been an immense joy to see the engagement of the young children during the Mass and sacramental preparation, as well as their willingness to help in other ways at the parish as they mature. We have reverent and eager servers, junior sacristans, and young volunteers to help with child care during sessions.” Manley says her own children and many others have already started to become catechists. “In what other religious education methods do children age out and immediately become catechists?”
CGS provides an atrium environment that allows for silence and time with God. In an otherwise noisy world, CGS can aid young people in hearing and responding to their vocation. Manley says, “God willing, my son plans to enter seminary for the Diocese of Des Moines this fall. He considers his time in the atrium foundational for being able to hear God’s voice and listening to His call.”
CGS atria can be found in the majority of U.S. dioceses and has even been adopted by some parishes as their religious education program. Bishop David Talley (Diocese of Memphis, Tennessee) says, “The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an amazing approach to a contemplative catechesis for children.”
With catechists who are faithful Catholics, the CGS program excels in its ability to bring the Catholic faith to a personal level for each child. The effects are such that a child’s blossoming faith can affect the entire family and increase each member’s love for Christ and his Church. Becoming a catechist to grow in your own faith as well as foster the faith in the young children, getting involved by sharing talents or by volunteering with a local atrium are just a few of the ways to join in this growing catechesis in the diocese. CGS provides faith formation in parishes beginning with 3-6 years-olds and is bilingual.
For more information on CGS or to find a local atrium or upcoming formation, visit www.cgsusa.org or contact CGS USA at cgs@cgsusa.org.
