Why Catechists love being in the Atrium:

"It happens that in being with children we will sense the presence of a force, mysterious and silent, which does not belong to us, and we will treasure it as an inestimable privilege to be granted at times to 'see' it working within the child. As Elijah did on Mount Horeb when he heard the 'tiny, whispering sound,' at moments like this we too will want to 'cover our face' in beholding the presence of God (1 Kings 19:13)" ~ Sofia Cavalletti "And a little child shall lead them..." in Journals of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd 1984-1997 p. 167

Last week in the Level 3 atrium, a group of children worked on the Memorial as I watched. One child stated that the outlines on the workspace reminded him of a sword. Later on as he worked with the materials, I sensed that he was being drawn into the work. At one point, he looked at their completed project and softly said "It looks like the Kingdom of God."

This child is normally not particularly reflective, but in this instance, the Good Shepherd tugged at his heart, showing him past, present and future reflected in the Eucharistic meal and I was privileged to be there. Thank you Jesus!

Beate

Beginning a New Liturgical Year

The liturgical calendar helps us to orient ourselves into God's time. 

This is the Level 3 liturgical calendar, a long work in more than one way. The children start by figuring out when the first Sunday of Advent is and start numbering their pages. They know there are always 4 Sundays of Advent and 3 Sundays of Christmas. Next they find the date of Easter by looking at the lunar cycles.  Even though our lives are vastly different from those of our ancestors, seasons are still determined by the sun and the moon. Passover is determined by those seasons, as is the great feast of Easter. 

In article 1170 of the Catechism we read: "At the Council of Nicaea in 325, all the Churches agreed that Easter, the Christian Passover, should be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon (14 Nisan) after the vernal equinox." 

Together we discuss that the vernal equinox is on March 21 and from there the children look at lunar calendars to find out when the first full moon after that date occurs and determine the date of Easter. The children have worked with a wooden liturgical calendar since the Level 1 atrium so they know the set numbers of Sundays in the Lent and Easter seasons. Once the date of Easter has been determined, the periods of ordinary time can be filled in. 

Parables..

From the CGS National July newsletter for parents:

A Word About Parables: When we are in the Atrium with the children, we announce the parable, meditate with the children and wonder with them about the words of Jesus. We allow the child to work with the materials as part of their own meditation, as well as time for silence, prayer or song. The most difficult thing for us to do as adults is to simply stop and be still. We do not want to put ourselves between the Word of God and the child. In parables, we let the scripture do the teaching. We do not tell the children how to interpret parables, offer definitions of the parable, as no one formula or definition speaks to everyone at the same time.

When this methodology was in its infancy, Sofia sometimes referred to it as the 'Parable method.'  Until I began my own formation, I certainly did not comprehend the depth and value of this manner of teaching. In college, I appreciated the 'just the facts' type profs, although if I look back, I admit I learned much more as I went down various rabbit trails based on the snippets of information I was given in class. 

Notes I took during my first CGS formation more than a decade ago:

A parable offers images that help us to penetrate mysteries too deep to communicate in definitions, too rich to capture in just one definition.  There is no single interpretation, making them accessible to everyone.  Parables leave listeners with a sense of wonder and help us to see the splendor in  the ordinary – help us to see through this world into the mystery that lies behind it. Listeners are invited to search together for the meaning – the line between student and teacher is erased as we become co-wonderers.

Cavalletti says “The use of a definition betrays the reality that God is unfathomable.”  While a parable is the beginning of a conversation, a definition is a closed door.  Definitions do not stir any interior reflection or work in the child, instead giving a finished product and failing to draw the child into the process.  Parables help us enter into mysteries too deep to describe with mere definitions.

“Explanation is like the pin that immobilizes the butterfly.” Sofia

I often think about that last statement when I hear sermons detailing exactly what was meant by a certain parable. Personally, the parables say something different to me each time I encounter them and I marvel at the very aptly named "living word!"

As an adult, I'm privileged to share scripture both with other adults and with children. I think what has caught me most unaware, is the living aspect of the word of God. Every single time I encounter Christ through scripure He has something new to say to me. What a lovely gift that is!

~ Beate


Here are two of the parables we share with the children - can you see the tiny mustard seed that is lying on the card?

November Update from the Atria

It has been a year of changes for us at St. Thomas, some good and some sad. Last month we said "Good-Bye" to Janet Hernandez, who joined us in February to manage the traditional RE programs for the teens and adults. I know she will be missed, especially by the youths who were priviledged to attend a mission trip with her this past summer. We all pray for the repose of her soul and for peace and comfort for her loving family.

Our atria are bursting at the seams, especially Level 2! It is a joy to see Catechesis of the Good Shepherd embraced by the community. In fact, we've grown so much that it became necessary to open another time slot. Last month, we began meeting on Thursday afternoons between 4:30 and 6:00. We have a small group of children in all the levels, which makes for a peace-filled afternoon.

One little boy comes on Sundays and Thursdays, which has really helped him to enter deeply into the work. Last week he was pondering the Parable of the Leaven and chose to make two batches of dough, one with yeast and one without. At the end of the period, he contemplated the results with the catechist: "Look, it really is like the Kingdom of Heaven!" he exclaimed with delight and surprise. This little four year old has managed to reveal a bit of Heaven to the rest of us with his joy and acceptance.

The level 2 children have been revisiting the gestures of the Mass that are presented in Level 1 and placing them into the rite of the Mass. It's interesting to see the children's appreciation for the innate order of our liturgical life. The Thursday group is mostly new to the atrium, so now that we've looked at the big picture, we'll break it down into the moments. I'm looking forward to sharing the mingling of the water and wine with this group.

In Level 3, we've been unpacking moments of the Mass. Last Sunday a group of children worked with the Memorial, which traces the Eucharistic celebration from the Last Supper to today and into Parousia. Eventually, we'll study Exodus and trace those roots back even further. One student, new to the Church, was amazed to hear the prayers we looked at in class later on during Mass. It's a gift for the children to recognize the power of the words that we adults often just allow to wash over us without too much notice.

This is my work from yesterday - I wanted to meditate on the memorial it a bit. The words of Christ are on small cards which are moved down through the ages - it's hard to see on the phone photo. I'll have to bring the camera to work at some point.

You can see the Structure of the Mass chart behind the Cenacle (or Last Supper) work, not because that's where it belongs, but because a child left it out on Sunday in order to finish the work the next week :-)

~ Beate

Welcome Once Again!

I'm so happy to see many new and returning faces in our atria this year. My goal was to write out an nice orientation for you, but alas, time has once again slipped away from me so I'm linking to a blog post by fellow catechist Mandie DeVries in which she summarizes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and compares it with the traditional education most of us received.

http://allsaintscgs.blogspot.com/2010/09/parent-orientation-in-sum.html

Please feel free to call, text or email me if you have any questions or concerns.

Beate

Busy getting ready

We've been dusting, sorting, rearranging and taking inventory which leads to material making :-) If anyone feels inspired to join us, I'll be at the atria from 10-6 on Thursday.

Below are 6 little apostles, baked and waiting to be painted. 

Video Introduction of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

The quote below is from an older video no longer available, but is still resonates :-)

"We just believe in this so much that we're willing to drive 30 miles, one way, to make sure that our children are getting the fullness of their faith."

This resonated with me, since I've been driving to one atria or another for the past 11 years! None of them were less than 20 miles away, but it's been such a beautiful journey.

Summer Catechesis??

While talking to parents about VBS, Sarah was told by several parents how much their children missed the atrium. It would be lovely to have enough catechists available to be able to continue throughout the year for the children who'd like to be there.

The atrium is such a treasure for both the children and the catechists who share the faith with them. Each week brings moments of pure joy into our lives. Even though my plate is full to overflowing, this is one thing that is necessary for my own relationship with Christ. It's a spiritual retreat amidst a life that is often chaotic and exausting and I'm grateful to the Holy Spirit for guiding me here.

In the peace of the Good Shepherd,
Beate

Parent Resource

Check out this wonderful new page at the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd:

Resources for Parents

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

Each child is an important person to you as parents and to God. Parenting is a ministry, a service to life. You, as a parent, have the dignity of being the “original and irreplaceable”[1] person in your child’s religious journey. 

The family is the primary community in the faith journey of the child, it is the “domestic church,” because it is within the life of the family we find the first and privileged place of the Christian community lived. Here, you as parents are “the first heralds of the faith”[2]  Here “faith works through love” and a relationship with God can begin to be nurtured. You, as parents, have shared the gift of human life with your child, and through Baptism, have enriched your child with a share in God’s own life. Your faith, your attitude toward others, and your trust in a loving God strongly influences the development of your child’s faith.[3] We offer these suggestions to help you nurture your child’s developing relationship with God.

Read the rest here: http://www.cgsusa.org/parentresources.aspx 

M. Montessori words to contemplate:

The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist". - Dr. Maria Montessori

Baptism

Every year in the atrium, from the time children enter at 3, they will spend time contemplating the beautiful gift of Baptism. Each year our understanding of this sacrament expands. In level 3, we spent time looking at the 3 distinct moments of the rite and the prayers that accompany them - the first takes place at the doors of the church, the second at the font, and the last at the altar. As a parent, bringing my child to the altar always made me aware that I was giving her back to God and of the gift He'd given me by allowing me to parent her. The realization that this was also symbolic of the Good Shepherd welcoming her to the table grew slowly. This year we talked about the last moments of Baptism in conjunction with Holy Communion and the words of Jesus: "I have longed to share this meal with you."

As always, it is a gift to share scripture with the children.

In the peace of the Good Shepherd ~
Beate

Liturgy of Light

This year we invited all the young people in RE to celebrate with us. Our prayer is that everyone learned just a bit more about the wonderful prayers that make up the Easter Vigil liturgy. 

On Holy Thursday:

From Pope Francis' homily at the Chrism Mass

"On this Holy Thursday, I ask the Lord Jesus to enable many young people to discover that burning zeal which joy kindles in our hearts as soon as we have the stroke of boldness needed to respond willingly to his call."

Amen!

"I am a priest because he has regarded my littleness (cf. Lk 1:48). And in that littleness we find our joy. Joy in our littleness!"

So often, we ponder littleness in the atria - it is something that resonates with all the children, but esp. the youngest. Jesus was born in a little village in a little country....the smallest of seeds contains within the power to grow into a large tree....the tiny yeast has the ability to cause the flour to rise.... One of the gifts I enjoy the most as a catechist, is seeing the deep joy in the faces of the children when the Gospel is proclaimed. 

In preparation for these three Holy Days, we have reflected on the Last Supper, or Cenacle, and on the City of Jerusalem. When presenting the Last Supper to the younger children, we read: Luke 22:7-13 and Mark 14:17, 22-24, 26. This focuses on the essential moments, leaving out the betrayel of Judas. For the 7 - 12 year old children, we gradually add other Passion Narratives such as:

·       Jesus Arrested  -John 18:1-14, (7+)

·       Jesus before Caiaphas Matthew 26:57-68, (7+)

·       *Agony in the Garden - Luke 22:39-46, (9+)

·       Jesus before Pilate and Herod Luke 23:1-12, (7+)

·       The Trial before Pilate - John 18:28-36 and 19:16, (8+)

·       *Crucifixion - Luke 23:33-46, (9+)

· 

The children are also encouraged to find other scripture accounts of these events using the scripture charts provided in the atria. All of my children at home are now 10 and over, so tonight we'll gather our bibles and pick one of the above narratives to focus on. My niece, who has young children, will probably do the Last Supper reading with her 4 year old, using some simple apostles and a block for the table. 6 years ago, after doing this work at home, my now 12 year old found the sheep from the Good Shepherd work and gathered them around the Last Supper table. She spent a very long time meditating on the scene, having just recently made the discovery that we are the sheep. It was a truly beautiful moment!

Meeting Noah

Yesterday the children in Level 3 and I began our meditation on Noah. This is the culmination of the 3 typology studies that we are doing our first year. The first was Creation, followed by Sin and now the Flood.

If you are wondering, as I did, what is typology? It is a way of looking at scripture that encourages us to find how one event is "imprinted" on another. In other words, we see hints of Baptism in the account of Creation, and then look at both through the words of the prophets about Parousia. St. Augustin called this "the Golden Thread" that unites the whole of scripture.

"The typological approach guides us to see each event in history as linked to what preceded it and at the same time projected toward completion—“when God will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). Only such a reading respects the weight of the divine mystery in history." ~ Sofia Cavaletti

With each scripture study, I remind the children to listen for truths that God is revealing to us. The children have a real grasp of this which is often illustrated in their commentary. When one child pondered God's putting the tree of knowledge in the garden, another chimed in "Because of trust." In the creation accounts, they easily saw that God has prepared all for us - man arriving last like guests at a banquet. It's a concept we've pondered since the early days of Level 2 and now was obvious to them as we read further in Genesis than we had previously.

The Flood account was more difficult for them. Perhaps the childrens' story aspect of it got in the way - all those cute animal pairs filing into the ark ;-) Also, Noah being 600 years old! Yet they did manage to move away from all of that and wondered about Noah's obedience. Unlike the prophets we've studied, Noah didn't question, he just obeyed. One of the children also saw Noah living in a time of chaos - where noone recognized God and all He'd created. We noticed many allusions to the creation account, especially the specific order and the Holy Spirit's presence. All in all, it was an accounting of God's unfailing love and mercy. No matter what is going on in the rest of our world, we can be assured God's plan will prevail.

If you'd like to read the passages we shared at home, I'll list them for you. We don't read from beginning to end, some of the narratives are meant to be grappled with by adults, not children!

This week (March 30):

Genesis 6:5 – 8:12

Next week (April 6):

Genesis 8:13 – 9:17 

For more information about specifically Catholic ways of studying scripture there is article 3 of the Catechism, as well as three Papal Encyclicals on reading the Bible:

Pope Leo XIII, 

Encyclical Letter On the Study of Sacred Scripture,

Providentissimus Deus, 1893

Pope Benedict XV,Encyclical Letter Commemorating the Fifteenth Centenary of the Death of St. Jerome,

Spiritus Paraclitus, 1920

Pope Pius XII,

Encyclical Letter Promoting Biblical Studies,

Divino Afflante Spiritu, 1943

In the peace of the Good Shepherd ~

Beate