The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program is offered to children ages 3-5. This program is a part of the religion curriculum in our St. John’s Preschool and we are now able to add a parish offering for children not enrolled in our preschool.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children that is rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition. This program was originally founded in Rome by Sofia Cavelletti and Gianna Gobbi in the 1950s and continues to spread worldwide. The program operates from the philosophy that the child is already in a relationship with God and seeks to nurture that relationship through the proclamation and pondering of God’s Word by utilizing a carefully prepared environment called an “atrium.” The atrium is full of beautiful hand-made child-sized materials that help the child and their catechist to prayerfully enter deeply into the essential mysteries of the Catholic faith. By the grace of God, the hope is that the child will fall in love with Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, setting a firm foundation for their ongoing faith journey.

The program begins in late September and runs through May.  CGS Parish Session available is Wednesdays from 9:15-10:45 am.  The class size is limited to 10 children.  The sessions are in the Atrium.  A trained catechist and assistant guide the children.  This session is currently full.  Contact Jill Fink to be placed on a wait list.

For more information, please reach out to Jill Fink, Director of Discipleship at (651) 633-1540 ext. 1280 or finkj@stjohnnyb.org.