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Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
As faith is a major cornerstone of Catholic education and at the center of all we do within our schools, our faith formation is taken very seriously. Every child in our Catholic schools experiences the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. It is a Christ-centered, liturgically based program designed to aid religious formation for children. All of the schools within the Diocese offer Level I. Some of our schools have expanded to offer Levels II and III.
The program is taught by a trained catechist. To achieve certification to teach, catechists must undergo 90 hours of training to obtain each level. So, a trained Level III catechist has undergone 270 hours of training!
Each elementary school has a designated Atrium space. It is a peaceful place for prayer, meditation and contemplation. Within the Atrium are materials which aid each child in further developing their relationship with God and His church.
LEVEL I – Ages 3-6
Children experience the faith through an Atrium filled with materials to nurture the relationship between the child, God and His church and to understand the traditions of the Catholic faith. Children work with materials that allow them to experience the traditions of the Catholic faith and represent the symbols and traditions of mass in a child-like, age-appropriate setting.
LEVEL II – Ages 6-9
This level focuses on the History of the Kingdom of God. Students are able to ponder their place in that sacred history. The materials include works that are not only sacred history from the beginning of time, but work that fosters moral formation through parables and the sacraments of initiation.
LEVEL III – Ages 9-12
This level focuses on the Plan of God. The child is aided in realizing that God has a plan for them and He has given them gifts to help them carry out this plan. The materials guide students to the gifts of all the sacraments, moral parables, and a deeper understanding of the church’s history from Creation to Abraham until today. -