Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
WHAT IS CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD?
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori religious education program being offered for children ages 3-5 that takes place in a specially prepared space called the Atrium. It is located St. Francis Room, just off the Monsignor Harris Center (gym) and is offered after the 9:00 am Sunday Mass; as well as on Thursday morning and Friday afternoon.
In the atrium, children learn about Jesus in Scripture and the Mass by working with attractive hands-on materials that were made especially for them. They are allowed movement and free choice of which materials to work with each week, after receiving an initial presentation from a catechist. It is not uncommon for a child to repeatedly choose the same work for many weeks in a row as he or she ponders more
deeply its meaning and continues to listen to what the Holy Spirit may wish to say, perhaps responding in prayer through art, music, copying of Scripture, composing prayers, meditative handiwork, or praying at the child-arranged prayer table.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd recognizes that the child is already in a relationship with God by virtue of his or her baptism. The catechist's role is to help nurture and strengthen this relationship by providing the child with a peaceful and reverent environment as well as materials that help him or her discover and meditate on the meaning of Scripture and the liturgy. The materials are handcrafted by the adults who work with the children, and are displayed attractively to invite the child to explore the themes presented through these materials at their own pace and rhythm. In this way, the child learns contemplative prayer and falls in love with God.
Atrium consists of three levels, each of which consists of a mixed age range and a three-year cycle of presentations tailored to that stage of the children’s spiritual development. This not only allows the child's understanding of selected scripture passages or liturgical works to deepen over time as he grows and develops, but also allows the oldest children in each level to take on a leadership role as they assist the youngest. We will start with Level 1 (ages 3-5) for our first year.
The Level I Child
The 3-6 year old child is full of wonder and responds with joy to the Parable of the Good Shepherd. The three year old, not yet understanding figurative language, does not know who the sheep represent. The catechist is careful to allow the child to discover this for himself in time, after repeatedly meditating for one or more years on how the Shepherd calls each of them by name, protects them, and makes sure that each sheep has everything they need, and how the sheep listen to His voice and follow Him. When the five or six-year old realizes that we are the sheep, one common response is a happy and quiet resting in silence as he finally understands that this protection, tender care, and desire to be together is for him.
Level I children receive individual lessons each week, which are selected after careful observation and consideration by the catechist of each child’s particular needs at that moment. Scripture narratives about the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Geography of the Land of Israel, and Parables of the Kingdom of God are presented throughout the year.
The Level I child also begins to understand the Mass by learning the names of the articles of the altar, as well as discovering the meaning of the most important gestures from the Mass: the preparation of the chalice, epiclesis and offering, and the sign of peace. Montessori practical life presentations aid the child in developing concentration and fine motor skills. Sessions begin and end with singing and prayers of thanksgiving.
CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
THE ATRIUM - A SACRED SPACE
2026-27 CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD REGISTRATION
Please read all of the following before registering.
Placement Guidelines
Please note that we will only be offering Level I catechesis in our first year (2026-27).
Level I - ages 3-5 (Pre-K to Kindergarten) as of September 1st and developmentally ready for Atrium participation. Children must be:
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Able to communicate their needs to catechists and peers and understand simple directions with ease. Children who have not yet developed strong language skills may become overwhelmed and frustrated, making it harder to enjoy being in atrium.
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Able to use the toilet independently. We are unable to assist with toileting according to Archdiocesan child protection policy. Pull-up usage is fine.
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Open to having the catechist show them proper use of the materials. Students in a Montessori class quickly learn how to set up, use, and put away materials on the shelves. Children who are not developmentally ready to do this may run away from a teacher, lie on the floor, or avoid tasks in other ways.
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Able to focus on an individual task for a time before moving on to the next one. Children who are not yet ready for the atrium might move quickly from material to material without completing anything. They might also dump things from the shelves one after another, and be too distracted by the number of things out in the class to be able to settle into a single activity long enough to receive a lesson on it.
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Willing to participate in circle time. Children should be able to sit and engage with the group for short lessons, songs, or prayer.
The first several sessions are a trial period for three-year-olds. If after that time it is determined that the child is not yet ready, it will be recommended that they wait until the following year to begin.
Class options
Once a week for 90 minutes
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Sunday 10:15 - 11:45 AM (Catechist - Mackenzie McGinnis - mackenzie.tourville@yahoo.com)
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Thursday 10:00 - 11:30 AM (Catechist - Jessica Clark - jlclark3814@gmail.com)
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Friday 3:30 - 5:00 PM (Catechist - Kelly Gaus - kelly.gaus17@gmail.com)
If the class you want is marked full, please email the catechist to be added to the waitlist.
Annual Tuition
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St. John's parish members: $175/150/$125/$100 **
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Non parish members: $350/300/$250/$200
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Catechists: $0/$0/$100 for third or more children
Need-based scholarships and payment plans are available, please inquire by emailing the Atrium coordinator at CGS@sjchollywood.org.
** In order to receive the in-parish rate, parents must be:
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Registered only at St. John's (call or visit the parish office to register)
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Regularly attend weekly Mass at St. John's as your home parish
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And have a record of (or commitment to) providing regular financial support to the parish according to your means, either through setting up recurring ParishSoft Giving, or via the numbered parish envelopes dropped in the collection basket during Mass (these may be requested when registering).
Priority registration goes to catechists' and aides’ children, St. John's parish members, and returning atrium families. Additional registrants will be accommodated or waitlisted as space allows.
Start Date
The 2026-27 start date is TBD.
Please contact Mackenzie McGinnis with any questions at mackenzie.tourville@yahoo.com