What Is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
At St. Gertrude Church and School, we are blessed to offer the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. CGS, as it is commonly referred to, is a Montessori-influenced faith formation experience for children. Sessions take place in a prepared environment, called the atrium, which is filled with beautifully handmade child-size materials.
During the CGS weekly sessions, children are invited into prayer, given a presentation that is based on Scripture or the liturgy, and allotted time for personal work. The catechist is attentive to each child’s unspoken desire: “help me come closer to God by myself.”
St. Gertrude Church and School is happy to offer CGS Level 1 (for children ages 3–6), Level 2 (for children in grades 1–3), and one session of Level 3 (for children in grades 4-6).
2025–2026 CGS Offerings
Registration for 2025-2026 CGS sessions opens on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
Level 1 Sessions (ages 3*–6)
Sunday, 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Sunday, 10:15-11:45 a.m.
Monday, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Monday, 4-5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, 3:45-5:30 p.m.
Thursday, 9:15-11:15 a.m.
Thursday, 4-5:30 p.m.
Friday, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Level 2 Sessions (grades 1-3)
Sunday, 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Sunday, 10:15-11:45 a.m.
Monday, 3:45-5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Thursday, 3:45-5:30 p.m.
Level 3 (grades 4–6)
Tuesday, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
*Children must be three years old by June 1, 2025, and fully potty-trained and independent in using the restroom. To ensure readiness, three-year-olds must attend a screening. After you register your three-year-old, we will be in touch to schedule the screening.
^Siblings of children in Level 3 have priority registration for this session.
What Do Children Learn?
Level 1
“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
— John 10:3
Children in this age range are in the absorbent stage of development and filled with wonder and awe. Our youngest friends joyfully encounter the Good Shepherd and discover his unconditional love and care. They come to know Jesus as the light of the world (and love singing “Christ is light, in him there is no darkness”).
While in the atrium your child might learn:
- The Parable of the Good Shepherd
- The Model Altar
- Baptism
- Infancy Narratives
- Kingdom of God parables
- Gestures of the Mass
- Liturgical Colors
- Geography of Israel
- Last Supper (Cenacle)
- The Land of Jerusalem
- The Empty Tomb
- Practical Life
Level 2
Developmentally, 6- to 9-year-old children are ready for a deeper understanding of their relationship with Jesus, their families, and their communities. The parable of the true vine is central to their work as they ponder Jesus’ words: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”.
While in the atrium, your child might learn:
- Salvation History
- Moral Parables
- Prayers of the Mass
- Synthesis of the Mass
- Holy Bible
- Further Geography Work
- Maxims
- Sacrament Meditations
- Personal Missal Making
- Communal Prayer – child led
Through CGS, we also offer a beautiful meditation series for our children preparing for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion.
Parents who wish to bring a child forward to receive First Reconciliation and First Communion in second grade should be sure to enroll their child in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as a first grader (if not before).
The History of CGS
Beginning in the 1950s, CGS was developed by two Italian Catholic laywomen, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. Sofia was a Hebrew scholar, and Gianna worked as a Montessori classroom educator. Together, Sofia and Gianna observed children for decades, learning the most essential Christian messages that met the spiritual desires for each age group. From this, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was born.
CGS began at St. Gertrude Parish in 2014. We’ve grown from having one temporary atrium space with a handful of trained catechists to two permanent atria and one portable atria with over 40 trained catechists in the school and church. Over 250 children are currently participating.
For more information about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, please visit www.cgsusa.org.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact one of us or call the Evangelization office at (513) 561-5954.
