St. Thomas the Apostle Parish at 1449 Wilcox Park Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 US - Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

“Help me fall in love with God by myself” The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is based on the beliefs: · That God and the child have a unique relationship with one another, particularly before the age of six; · That the growth of this relationship should be assisted by the adult, but is directed by the Spirit of God within the child; · That children need their own place to foster the growth of that relationship; · That the child’s spiritual growth is best served through tangible but indirect means. These beliefs best come alive in a specially prepared environment called the atrium. The atrium is a quiet place for praying and talking to God. Materials are set up in the atrium so as to invite the child to explore their own religious experience. The materials found in this place are models of those articles used in the Church’s worship such as an altar, baptismal font, the liturgical colors, etc. The environment also contains materials relating to basic proclamations of our faith. Geography materials, such as raised surface maps and puzzles of the Land of Israel, establish Jesus as a real person who lived in Israel. Scripture is proclaimed to the children in its purest text. That is to say, the youngest children (3-6 years) are given the exact words from the Bible. The words of Scripture are never watered down; they are not story. Presentations of the parables, prophecies and the life of Christ are first introduced in a story fashion, as the catechist shares the words from the Bible in her own words; defining new and difficult words to the children. But the words of Scripture are read just as they appear in the Bible. The child is then invited to internalize and respond to the presentations by working with the materials themselves. The catechist presents the reality and asks questions that assist in the child’s own discovery of the meaning. An interpersonal relationship is always a mystery, and all the more so when that relationship is between God and the Child. We believe that there is a deep bond between God and the child, which produces in the child the desire to draw near to God. The catechist’s role is to prepare the environment and to make presentations that “call forth” the child’s response rather than “pour in’ information. They listen with the child and together ask, “God who are you? How do you love us?” The adult is the co-wonderer with the child as they together enjoy meditating on the questions generated by the Scriptures with the “atrium” as a developmental aid. “If we want to help the child grow nearer to God, we should with patience and courage seek to go always closer to the vital nucleus of things. This requires study and prayer. The child himself will be our teacher if we know how to observe him.” Dr. Sofia Cavaletti; The Religious Potential of the Child

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