Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori religious education program for children ages 3 through 12 that takes place in a specially prepared space called the Atrium. In the early church, the Atrium (or foyer) of the church was the place where catechumens were prepared for initiation into the church. For the child, too, the Atrium is a place of preparation for greater participation in the larger worshiping community.

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.

Following the Montessori approach, children in the atrium 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 she ponders more deeply its meaning and continues to listen to what the Holy Spirit may wish to tell her, perhaps responding in prayer through art, music, copying of Scripture, composing prayers, meditative handiwork, or praying at the child-arranged prayer table.

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.
 

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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.
 

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The Level II Child

The 6-9 year-old child, with a growing need to be more social, receives group presentations with reflection and discussion in addition to individual presentations. The central parable for this level is that of the True Vine: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit.” Having reached the age of reason and having first encountered God in the person of Jesus the Good Shepherd who knows her and takes care of her, the Level II child contemplates her freedom to choose whether or how to respond to this love through meditation on moral parables such as the Pharisee and the Tax Collector and the Good Samaritan. Children who are ready to receive their first sacraments prepare through a series of five evening meditations with a parent as well as a four-day retreat including their First Penance and culminating in the reception of their First Holy Communion.

Materials for developing understanding of the Books of the Bible, the Structure of the Mass, and the essential moments of salvation history (creation, redemption, and parousia) and the History of the Gifts of God are also introduced at this level. Sessions end with a communal prayer service loosely based on the Liturgy of the Hours which is prepared and led by two of the children, during which children sing, read scriptures, pray psalms, and intercede for one another and the community.
 

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The Level III Child

The 9-12 year-old child, now that he has deepened his understanding of Jesus, begins engaging with the Old Testament through prophet studies and typology studies on Creation, Sin, the Flood, Abraham, and Exodus, developing an awareness of how all of these point to Christ in the New Testament. Salvation history is expanded upon in the Plan of God material, in which the child learns of the rise and fall of cultures throughout history, the History of the Jewish People, how this plan is moving towards and will culminate in the communion of all peoples through the love of God, and considers his place and role in God’s plan.

The roots of the Mass are discovered through study of the History of the Jewish People and their worship. The child realizes that the Mass is one prayer made of many prayers, as well as the order and meaning of each of them. The Sacraments are studied in depth, as are the virtues and the Miracles of Jesus. The Level III children also end their sessions with child-designed and led communal prayer.

To learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and to see children working in an atrium, please view the below videos.

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