Explore every episode of the podcast The Good Shepherd and the Child
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 128. CGS Advent in the Home | 06 Nov 2024 | 00:33:58 | |
"A voice of one crying out in the desert; Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” Luke 3:4
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
CGSUSA Parent Pages HERE
Virtual Songbook: Songs of the Atrium HERE
Mary Heinrich joins us on the podcast to discuss how we live into the Advent season in the atrium and how that can be extended into the spiritual life of the domestic church in the home.
Mary is the Membership Coordinator for The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Prior to joining the staff, Mary served on the CGSUSA Board of Trustees for seven years. Mary has also served as a Director of Faith Formation in the Catholic Church for twenty-nine years, as well as a consultant and editor for religious education publishers. She earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. Her husband, Kurt is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Des Moines and teaches theology at the local Catholic high school, is a Level One catechist, and enjoys making materials for the atrium. Their daughter, Clare, is the elementary faith formation coordinator at her Church, working in the Level One and Level Two atria. When not immersed in CGS, Mary enjoys reading, art and spending time with her family. Correction about Sunday Readings for Advent: Year C – First Sunday of Advent references the Shoot of Jesse Year C – Second Sunday of Advent – references the Prophecy of the Valleys and Mountains Year C – Fourth Sunday of Advent – The Prophecy of the Birthplace of the Messiah, The Visitation of Mary to ElizabethCGS Advent Resources for Families Little Gospel Booklets- Infancy Narratives Advent Fling Wide the Doors Calendar
Books you may be interested in:
Podcast Episodes with Mary Heinrich: Episode 31- Even Now- a Lenten Reflection Episode 103- Friendship of Catechists
Other Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In: Episode 27- Mystery of the Incarnation with Karen Maxwell Episode 104- Annunciation and the Incarnation with Sofia Cavalletti
BECOME AN ORGANIZATION MEMBER! Organization Members are any entity (church/parish, school, regional group, diocese, etc.) that either offers CGS and/or supports those who serve the children as catechists, aides, or formation leaders) Organization Members also receive the following each month:
Click Here to create your Organizational Membership!
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| Episode 127. Redeeming Administration with Ann Garrido | 23 Oct 2024 | 00:36:24 | |
"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves" Romans 12:10
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
CGSUSA Parent Pages HERE
Virtual Songbook: Songs of the Atrium HERE
Ann Garrido tells us all about her book Redeeming Administration and how it shows us how administration tasks, that is a part of all ministry work, can have spiritual virtues that help shape us into the person God is calling us to be.
Ann Garrido has been a catechist of the Good Shepherd since 1996. She currently serves as a Level One catechist at her parish while she also serves as a formation leader for the US Association at all three levels. Ann is an Associate Professor at Aquinas Institute of Theology, a graduate school of theology and ministry in the Dominican tradition. She is the author of multiple works, including her newest book Redeeming Power about the healthy and holy exercise of leadership. Ann Garrido’s website HERE
Books by Ann Garrido
ANN’S NEW BOOK – REDEEMING POWER A Year with Sofia Cavalletti by Ann Garrido
Podcast Episodes with Ann Garrido Episode 19 – Typology with Ann Garrido Episode 53 – The Birth and Infancy of Jesus with Ann Garrido Episode 59 – Preaching with Children with Ann Garrido Episode 68 – The CGS Heritage – Eugenio Zolli with Ann Garrido Episode 111. About Justice, A Meditation by Fr Mongillo with Ann Garrido
Other Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In: Episode 102- Theological Reflection with Autumn Domingue
Episode 37 – CGS and Spiritual Direction with Autumn Domingue Episode 85 – CGS and Accompaniment with Fr Boniface Hicks
BECOME AN ORGANIZATION MEMBER! Organization Members are any entity (church/parish, school, regional group, diocese, etc.) that either offers CGS and/or supports those who serve the children as catechists, aides, or formation leaders) Organization Members also receive the following each month:
Click Here to create your Organizational Membership!
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS:
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 118. 40th Anniversary Celebration with Karen Maxwell and Mary Mirrione | 19 Jun 2024 | 00:41:41 | |
“Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.” — Psalm 111:1-3
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
This year, we are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. From August 22-25, 2024, we will gather in person in Phoenix, Arizona, and we will broadcast via livestream for those who cannot attend in person. We look forward to you joining us for this celebration. In these days, we will remember our legacy, celebrate our present work with the children, and pray for our future in the coming of the Kingdom as we join this friendship of catechists upon which our association is founded. Mary Mirrione began working with CGS in 1992. She and a team of catechists and parents built atria at St Anne’s in Gilbert, Arizona for their 1800 children. She has been a formation leader since 1997 serving as such at home and abroad. She also works with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity throughout the United States and around the world. Mary served on the Board for CGSUSA and is a graduate of the first cohort at Aquinas Institute of Theology to receive a Masters in Pastoral Studies with an emphasis in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She is a faculty member of Kino Catechetical Institute in the Diocese of Phoenix. Since 2010, she serves as the National Director for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Karen became involved with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 1990 when her oldest daughter was four years old. She was moved by the spiritual depth offered to the youngest children and found this approach to faith formation personally enriching as well. She helped to begin all three levels of atria in the first church in Georgia to offer Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She also enjoys introducing adults to this method of catechesis as a CGS formation leader. Karen joined the staff for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 2004 as Director of Formation. Her work supports formation leaders and catechists through communications, conferences, ongoing formation and resources as well as in responding to a variety of inquiries and pastoral concerns about CGS. Karen is one of two US representatives to the International Council. She also was part of the first cohort to complete a Masters in Pastoral Studies in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Aquinas Institute of Theology. Karen currently serves as a Level III catechist for a church in her area. Her children, now young adults, all were involved in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. For further questions about CGS you can email Karen at karenmaxwell@cgsusa.org We invite you to assist with our celebration:
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 28. Montessori’s Epiphany with Sherry Mock | 06 Jan 2021 | 00:39:37 | |
"Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you." Isaiah 60: 4-5
Epiphany is the one-year anniversary of our podcast and 114 years since Maria Montessori dedicated a space specifically for the poor children of San Lorenzo which began her lifelong work of discovering the child and their absorbent minds.
Sherry Mock joins us today to tell us the spirit filled story of that beautiful Epiphany 114 years ago!
Sherry Mock lives in Texas with her husband. She has been trained as a Montessori guide and in all three levels of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, Godmother, Bible teacher, and church and community volunteer.
Gianna Gobbi worked with Dr. Maria Montessori and was responsible for the two year old children in the Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House) of Professor Adele Costa Gnocchi in Palazoo Taverna, in Rome. It was Gianna who brought the original Atrium materials, the instruments and means that distinguish the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from all other methods and programs. The materials reflect the methodological character of our work, which is based on the educational principles of Maria Montessori. This special Commemorative Journal allows Gianna Gobbi’s voice and spirit to remind us of the beauty, value, and gift of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and how we as adults, must behold, must “See” the child before us and their contemplation and enjoyment in the presence of God.
Sherry mentions the article "A Modest Virtue" by Margaret Dornay in the 2020 CGSUSA Annual Journal. Sherry also shares quotes from The Child in the Church. In this reprint of a spiritual treasure, E.M. Standing, Montessori biographer and disciple, gathers a thoughtful collection of works focused on nurturing the spiritual life of the child through Montessori educational philosophy. You may also enjoy Montessori: On Religious Education, a compilation of 3 books that Montessori wrote on involving children in the Liturgy and opening the door to their own religious experience. All titles are available for purchase from the CGSUSA Online Store!
We are committed to providing resources and services int the living out of our mission to support catechists, parents, and others in the Church and beyond, as they grow in their understanding of the religious potential of children. Even while we see a decrease in income (loss of course registration fees, book sales, new memberships, and the sales of resources and materials from Shepherd’s Closet.) The Light of Our Good Shepherd sustains us in these times. May you feel inspired to help others to rejoice in His Sustaining Light please donate today. Thank you!
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 27. The Mystery of the Incarnation with Karen Maxwell | 23 Dec 2020 | 00:45:29 | |
“And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
Each year we go through a time of preparation, the season called Advent, to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Yes, we give lots of time to preparing our homes, our gifts for family and friends, and preparing our hearts. But do we really embrace the reason for so much preparation? How do we prepare our children for Jesus’ birth in the midst of so much anticipation for the gifts they receive at Christmas? And even during the time of celebration of Christmas, the 12 twelve days of Christmas from Christmas Day to Epiphany, how can we live the joy of the meaning of Jesus’ birth that we celebrate. The Incarnation is difficult for us to grasp. It is a mystery. How is it that God becomes truly human and a human could be truly God?
Karen Maxwell joins the podcast today to help us ponder this mystery further.
Karen became involved with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 1990 when her oldest daughter was four years old. She was moved by the spiritual depth offered to the youngest children and found this approach to faith formation personally enriching as well. She helped to begin all three levels of atria in the first church in Georgia to offer Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She also enjoys introducing adults to this method of catechesis as a CGS formation leader. Karen joined the staff for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 2004 as Director of Formation. Her work supports formation leaders and catechists through communications, conferences, ongoing formation and resources as well as in responding to a variety of inquiries and pastoral concerns about CGS. Karen is one of two US representatives to the International Council. She also was part of the first cohort to complete a Masters in Pastoral Studies in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Aquinas Institute of Theology. Karen currently serves as a Level III catechist for a church in her area. Her children, now young adults, all were involved in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Listen to another episode with Karen anytime!
To purchase a copy of Ways to Nurture the Relationship with God, please visit the CGSUSA online store!
We are committed to providing resources and services int the living out of our mission to support catechists, parents, and others in the Church and beyond, as they grow in their understanding of the religious potential of children. Even while we see a decrease in income (loss of course registration fees, book sales, new memberships, and the sales of resources and materials from Shepherd’s Closet.) The Light of Our Good Shepherd sustains us in these times. May you feel inspired to help others to rejoice in His Sustaining Light please donate today! Thank you.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 26. Life in the Vine: The Joyful Journey Continues with Rebekah Rojcewicz | 09 Dec 2020 | 00:42:35 | |
“Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” John 15:4
Rebekah Rojcewicz joins us on the podcast again today to discuss her book Life in the Vine: The Joyful Journey Continues which will be available January 6th, 2021. She tells us about how this book came to be and what needs it will address.
Rebekah is a catechist and formation leader in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd having completed her training in 1981 in Rome with Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. She has translated several of their books and articles from the original Italian and has written and edited various parts of the CGS core texts. Rebekah is a catechist at her parish, St. Patrick Catholic Church, and for the Missionaries of Charity atrium in Memphis, Tennessee. She serves on the formation committee of CGSUSA, as well as on the International Board for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
To order your copy of Life in the Vine: The Joyful Journey Continues today! Listen to another episode with Rebekah anytime. Purchase Advent items from the CGSUSA Online Store today. When you shop with us, you help further the work to support catechists, parents, and others in the Church and beyond, as they grow in their understanding of the religious potential of children. We are committed to providing resources and services int the living out of our mission to support catechists, parents, and others in the Church and beyond, as they grow in their understanding of the religious potential of children. Even while we see a decrease in income (loss of course registration fees, book sales, new memberships, and the sales of resources and materials from Shepherd’s Closet.) The Light of Our Good Shepherd sustains us in these times. May you feel inspired to help others to rejoice in His Sustaining Light please go to our website and donate today. Thank you.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 25. Prayer of Thanksgiving with Diane Olsen | 25 Nov 2020 | 00:40:03 | |
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 24. THeART of the Child with Mary Mirrione | 11 Nov 2020 | 00:43:09 | |
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see…, for prophets and kings desired to see what you see…” Luke 10:23-24
The atrium is a place prepared for the religious life of children in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The atrium is also a chamber of the heart. We have found that the heart of the child is deep and open to the loving call of our Good Shepherd. We know that when given time and the space of an environment prepared for their religious life, children are quite content to contemplate the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Like Mary, in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, they keep all these things and ponder them in their hearts. We have observed as well that children’s spirituality is often manifested in their artwork. We pay special attention to this artwork of children because it can profoundly articulate their relationship with God. Mary Mirrione returns to the podcast to dive into this mystery of the children’s artwork with us.
Mary Mirrione began working with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 1992. She and a team of catechists and parents-built atria at St Anne’s in Gilbert, Arizona for their 1800 children. She has been a formation leader since 1997 serving as such at home and abroad. She also worked with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in Honduras and Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity throughout the States as well as in Manila, Philippines Western Europe and Kolkata, India. Mary served on the Board of the National Association and is a member of first cohort at Aquinas Institute to receive a Masters in Pastoral Ministry in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She serves as a faculty member of Kino Catechetical Institute in the Diocese of Phoenix. She is a consultant for the USCCB Subcommittee on the Catechism. Since 2010, she serves as the National Director for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. For more information on this approach to religious formation with children please go to our website.
Artistic Expression of Children in the Atrium by Tilde Cocchini Inspiring Art Expression in the Atrium by Marty O’Bryan - Do You See What I See? – article about The HeART of the Child exhibit The HeART of the Child Art Book
We are committed to providing resources and services to aid in living out of our mission to support catechists, parents, and others in the Church and beyond, as they grow in their understanding of the religious potential of children. Even while we see a decrease in income (loss of course registration fees, book sales, new memberships, and the sales of resources and materials from Shepherd’s Closet.) The Light of Our Good Shepherd sustains us in these times. May you feel inspired to help others to rejoice in His Sustaining Light please donate today. Thank you.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 23. Missionary Moments with Celine Mitchell | 28 Oct 2020 | 00:37:15 | |
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” Psalm 96:3
One of the core characteristics of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is that it “can be realized in any social or cultural setting.” (32 Points of Reflection of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd). Celine Mitchell shares with us how she witnessed the universality of this work as she traveled to different countries bringing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to all, including the Missionaries of Charity.
Although Celine recently retired as Director of CGS at her parish, she continues to be involved as catechist at St. Ambrose Academy where she also is a primary Montessori teacher. Celine is a recognized formation leader in Levels I and II. She assisted numerous parishes in starting CGS in western Pennsylvania and internationally and in her "retirement" continues to do consulting for those wanting to begin Catholic Montessori. She has led formation courses in Poland and for the Missionaries of Charity in Latvia, Brazil, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and San Francisco. Celine and her husband Bob (also a CGS catechist) have 3 grown children and 6 grandchildren and live at Good Shepherd House of Prayer.
The Characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: The 32 Points of Reflection
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 22. Look at the Light with Micaela Tudela | 14 Oct 2020 | 00:31:28 | |
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24
Why is this happening? How long will it last? What will life be like from now on? What can we do? The world is facing unprecedented loss, grief, pain, and anxiety during this time of COVID-19. The losses and the grief we share come in many forms: the deaths of families and friends, of work, health, and celebrating or worshipping in community. We seek comfort and meaning from our grief. During times of suffering, loss, and grief, each of us needs companions who console and strengthen us. As Christians, we also need to understand our experience in light of our faith. At such times, Sofia Cavalletti offered her friend Patricia Coulter such guidance and encouragement. We will all benefit from reading the excerpts from her letter to Coulter, as well as meditating on the questions and carefully selected texts from Scripture and liturgy that Coulter provides. Many people are familiar with Sofa Cavalletti's writings on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. These books help to form catechists and give the theological and pedagogical underpinnings for that approach to the spiritual formation of children. In this book we have a rare glimpse into her personal life and her deep care for her friends, in this case, her student and friend Patricia Coulter. Her words remind us that for Christians death does not have the last word. Having faced and moved through the suffering in all these forms of darkness, Sofia offers hope and consolation with eyes of faith that look at and move toward the Light. We are challenged to “Look at the Light” when darkness of any kind seems to surround us. Michaela Tudela joins us today to reflect on this inspiring and essential book about loss and love.
Michaela Tudela is an editor at Liturgy Training Publications (LTP.org), an agency of the Archdiocese of Chicago. She has helped produce prayer resources for children and their families, including Children’s Daily Prayer, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, and Celebrating Sundays for Catholic Families. For the past two years, she has served as the publishing liaison between LTP and The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Michaela holds a BA in English Literature from Loyola University Chicago and has served as a grade 1 catechist.
The book Look at the Light: Words on Loss and Love from Sofia Cavalletti is available for purchase from the CGSUSA online store.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 21. CGS and Children of All Abilities with Trinka Hamel | 30 Sep 2020 | 00:41:39 | |
“You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know.” Psalm 140 13-14
Maria Montessori began her journey with children of “different ability” so it is fitting that our work in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, which follows her educational model, would be inclusive of children of all abilities as well. If we truly believe, as our work in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd tells us, that we are “led by the child” then we will meet each child in the atrium wherever they are on their faith journey. Once a child with disabilities is accepted into an atrium, many practical tasks remain such as assessing the child’s abilities, identifying a catechist, and determining which materials are appropriate.
Trinka Hamel joins The Good Shepherd and the Child Podcast today to share her experience with experimental work with children and young people of different abilities using the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd model. She has years of experience both professionally and in the atrium to share with us.
Trinka considers the young children she came to know in her first years as a special education specialist in Chicago to be among her greatest mentors and teachers. Like all children, they were drawn to beauty, joy, relationship and kindness. When Trinka was introduced to CGS in 2004 it was like coming home to a place she’d never been. She has been a catechist since 2008, helped to develop all levels of atria at a local parish in Tacoma, WA, and recently became a Level I formation leader. Trinka completed a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies with an emphasis on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Aquinas Institute of Theology in 2017, and continues to support the CGS communities in her region as a member of the Sheepfold Consortium for CGS sustainability in the Pacific Northwest.
Resources for further growth: CGSUSA and Children with Disabilities National Catholic Partnership On Disability The Anthropological and Christological Foundations of Baptismal Formation
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 20. Living the Domestic Church with Jaclyn Ruli | 16 Sep 2020 | 00:52:27 | |
“Take to heart these words which I command you today. Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7
“If we want to assist the child in his or her religious experience, an important area which we must attend is that of prayer. Prayer is, first of all, listening to God. It is the particular key which opens up the mystery of God’s relationship with God’s creature; it is a key which belongs to God, but which God gives to all… Prayer is initiation to the mystery of God and is, itself, a mystery… our task is that of creating the conditions for silence and reverence which will help the child focus on and listen to God. We do this, first of all, by preparing an environment with a prayerful atmosphere.” Gianna Gobbi, Listening to God with Children, page 117-118
Jaclyn Ruli joins the podcast today to share with us her wisdom and practical tips for taking the experience of the atrium and applying it to our homes. She speaks about how the encounters with God that we experience in the atrium are not limited to that space and the home is the perfect place to foster our relationship with God alongside the children in our lives. She shares a lot of examples to help inspire us on our journey of building the domestic church.
Led by a desire to have a deeper understanding of the Church’s teachings on marriage and family, Jaclyn earned a Master of Theological Studies with a concentration in Marriage and Family from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C. Shortly after she was introduced to the work of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd by reading "The Child in the Church" and became a catechist in 2012. Jaclyn is passionate about CGS and sharing the beauty and hope of the Church’s teachings on the family with love and the humility of a person who is still being converted. She shares her domestic church with her husband and six children in Cibolo, Texas. At CGSUSA, we believe the most valuable service that we can offer during this time is to help families pray with their children at home and so continue to assist children and adults live a common religious experience in which the religious values of childhood, primarily those values of contemplation and enjoyment of God are celebrated. This page is to support children, parents and families at home and catechists in their communities and parishes and schools. We are adding to it weekly (sometimes daily)! Jaclyn’s rosary books:
Artwork: ‘Madonna and Child with St John 6’ by Raphael Painting
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 19. Typology with Ann Garrido | 02 Sep 2020 | 00:46:20 | |
“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” – Job 42:5
“Open your eyes; the mysteries hidden in the visible are revealed to you.” – Gregory of Nyssa
Sofia Cavalletti in History of the Kingdom of God: From Creation to Parousia states that “the typological method searches for the ‘imprint’ of one phase of sacred history upon another, keeping in mind the unity of the divine plan from creation to Parousia.” So what is Typology and how can we utilize this method with children? Ann Garrido joins us on the podcast again to dive into the depth and beauty that this ancient method provides. Ann's article Typology in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd appeared in the 2012 Journal of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Ann Garrido is associate professor of homiletics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO and founding director of the school’s Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies program with an emphasis on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (MAPS-CGS). She has served as a catechist with children ages 3-12 since 1996. Ann is also a formation leader with the U.S Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for twenty-one years and a member of the association’s formation committee. She is the author of eight books, including Mustard Seed Preaching (Now published as Preaching with Children), A Year with Sofia Cavalletti (LTP, 2017), and Let's Talk about Truth (ND: Ave Maria Press, 2020) Please visit Ann Garrido’s personal website to read more about and from Ann.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
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| 117. The Level Three Child with Julie Baltuska and Donna Turner | 05 Jun 2024 | 00:38:58 | |
"This is how it is with the kingdom of God, it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” Mark 4:26-27
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Find a Formation Course HERE!
Julie Baltuska and Donna Turner joining us on the podcast to talk about the level three atrium, what all is in that huge work that is the level three atrium. what does the level three child have to teach us about who God is and to encourage all of us to continue our formation all the way through level three no matter how we choose to serve the child. Julie Baltuska lives in Kansas with her retired husband and Maine Coon cat. She and David raised 6 sons and 1 daughter and now enjoy 9 grandchildren all close to home. Julie has been a recognized Formation Leader in Level 3 of CGS since 2018 and has been team leading L3 courses since 2008. The highlight of every week for her is spending time in the Atrium with 9-12 year olds which she has been doing for 24 years. Julie has a BA degree in Theology from Rockhurst College and has served on the Board of Directors of the SonFlower Region of CGS. Her favorite down-time activities after adoration, include reading, improving her Spanish skills and dabbling in sculpture and piano. A catechist since 1994, Donna has experience working with children in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Level I, Level II, and Level III. She has been a Level III catechist and volunteer CGS coordinator for 24 years at St. Philip Episcopal Church in Memphis, TN. Donna has been a Formation Leader since 2001. She is the Co-Director of the Good Shepherd Center in Memphis, TN. Donna serves CGSUSA as a member of the Formation Committee and Episcopal Committee and assists with the Level III Materials Manual. She and her husband, Bob, live in Germantown, TN.
Podcast Episodes- Episode 6- Geography and the Holy Land with Julie Baltuska Episode 19- Typology with Ann Garrido Episode 35 – Baptism with Donna Turner Episode 115- CGS in the Episcopal Church with Anna Hurdle and Donna Turner
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 18. Chapter 4 – Sources of Nourishment with Claudia Margarita Schmitt | 19 Aug 2020 | 00:35:14 | |
“You, yes you, O Lord, my God, have done many wondrous deeds! And in your plans for us there is none to equal you. Should I wish to declare or tell them, too may are they to recount.” Psalm 40: 6
Claudia Margarita Schmitt joins us today to dive into Chapter 4 of The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. We discuss the child’s capacity for wonder and the parable method that Jesus’ uses and that we reflect to teach about the Kingdom of God. This episode completes our four-part series on the first four chapters of The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. We encourage everyone to continue to read this gem of a book.
Claudia Margarita Schmitt has lived in many different countries throughout her life but has discovered over time that her roots are first in her Roman Catholic faith and also in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Everywhere she goes she recognizes the same language being used to discover the mystery of God. As an international formation leader for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Claudia constantly has had this experience of finding her roots. She has been a catechist for 33 years and a formation leader for 32. She lived in Rome for 8 years studying and working with Gianna Gobbi and Sofia Cavalletti and the children there. This time, she says, was very precious taught her many things but first of all, to be humble so that she could fall more deeply in love with Jesus through the child.
We have more information about how you can join us on this book study and resources on how to do this study with a group on our website. Order your copy of the book The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey from the CGSUSA Store. We will be having discussions about this book on our Facebook page: The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 17. Chapter 3 – Practical Suggestions with Lynne Worthington | 05 Aug 2020 | 00:38:31 | |
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news.” Isaiah 52:7
This episode continues our book study on The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. Lynne Worthington discusses with us some practical ways that adults and families can sit beside the child in their religious development. She lifts up the role of the environment, especially the home, as an aid to that spiritual growth.
Lynne Worthington worked for 30 years as a catechist for children and adults at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham, NC. She also served as the coordinator for CGS in Immaculata School and for the parish. Since 1991 she has taken part in National Formation courses for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, earning certificates as a catechist for all three levels, ages 3-12 years old. She has participated in numerous formation leadership workshops and is recognized as a formation leader by the National Association of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She holds an MA degree in Pastoral Studies from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO. Lynne now lives in Ball Ground, GA and volunteers in Atria in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. She and her husband, Bill, have three grown children and two grandchildren.
We have more information about how you can join us on this book study and resources on how to do this study with a group on our website. Order your copy of the book The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey from the CGSUSA Store. We will be having discussions about this book on our Facebook page: The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Join us in two weeks to discuss Chapter 4: Sources of Nourishment.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 16. Chapter 2 – Helping the Child with Maggie Radzik | 22 Jul 2020 | 00:40:00 | |
Chapter 2 – Helping the Child with Maggie Radzik
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” Jeremiah 1:5
This episode continues our book study on The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. In this episode Maggie Radzik shares with us the beauty and wisdom found in Chapter 2: Helping the Child. We discuss the child from conception through 3 years old. We lifted up the spiritual capacities of this age child and the adult’s role in nurturing those capacities, and how this very young child, even though small, is having substantial growth both physically and spiritually. How should the adults in the child’s life care for, respond to, and honor this growth?
Maggie has been a Montessori teacher and Head of School for over 25 years and a Level I formation leader for more than 10 years. She is currently the catechist in a Primary classroom at St. Jerome Academy in Hyattsville MD and also works with catechists and homeschooling families in Ave Maria FL.
Join us in two weeks to discuss Chapter 3: Practical Suggestions
We have more information about how you can join us on this book study and resources on how to do this study with a group on our Book Study page.
Order your copy of the book The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey from CGSUSA Online Store today.
We will be having discussions about this book on our Facebook page: The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 15. Chapter 1: God and the Child Together with Marty O’Bryan | 08 Jul 2020 | 00:34:27 | |
Chapter 1: God and the Child Together– The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey with Marty O’Bryan
“God is love” 1 John 4:7
This episode begins our book study on The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. In this episode Marty O’Bryan helps us dive into chapter 1: God and the Child Together. We discuss the two vital needs of the child, protection and relationship, and how the Good Shepherd parable meets those needs perfectly for the young child. We also discuss how the youngest child has a deep capacity to live in relationship with God.
Marty O’Bryan began her formation in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd with Sofia Cavalletti in 1983 and has been conducting adult formations at Levels I, II and III throughout the United States since 1991. A retired speech and language pathologist, Marty holds a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies with an emphasis on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from Aquinas Institute of Theology. Currently, she works with children in Toddler, Level II and III atria in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.
Join us in two weeks to discuss Chapter 2: Helping the Child
We have more information about how you can join us on this book study and resources on how to do this study with a group on our website. Order your copy of the book The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey from the CGSUSA Store. We will be having discussions about this book on our Facebook page: The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 14. Taste and See: Savoring the Child’s Wisdom with Pam Moore | 24 Jun 2020 | 00:29:31 | |
“Behold, children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward.” Psalm 127:3
Do Children have something to teach US about God? Can they draw US closer to the heart of God? Pam Moore joins us on the podcast today to discuss her book, Taste and See- Savoring the Child’s Wisdom, and her years of observation of children. She speaks about beautiful pieces of wisdom that children have shared with her over the years and how we can grow in the art of observation so that we don’t miss what they have to show us about God.
Pam is a retired catechist, formation leader, retreat leader, and author. However the essential tenets of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd continue to bring her joy and keep her grounded in the faithful love of our Good Shepherd. She obtained a Master’s in Theological Studies from Seabury Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL where she was able to continue contemplating the mystery of the child through a broader examination of Scripture and liturgy. Today she is writing her blank page of history by making blankets for Project Linus, a national organization that makes blankets for children in hospitals, battered women shelters, the CASA program in the courts, and other agencies. She introduced Project Linus to her Level 3 children.
You can order Pam’s book, Taste and See here
Join us for the next four episodes of the podcast for a book study on the book The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. We will be diving into the first four chapters of this beautiful book. We have more information about how you can join us on this book study and resources on how to do this study with a group on our website:
Order your copy of the book The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey here.
We will be having discussions about this book on our Facebook page: “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd”
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 13. The Infant-Toddler with Elizabeth Calanchini | 10 Jun 2020 | 00:48:37 | |
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” Jeremiah 1:5 NAB
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd exists to serve the religious potential of the child, even the youngest child. In our episode today we explore who is the Infant-Toddler? How can we serve them through The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd? How is the environment and the adult different for this aged child? What content are we able to address to this aged child? What mysteries about the Kingdom of God does the Infant-Toddler reveal to us?
Elizabeth Calanchini joins us on the podcast today to ponder these questions and share her wisdom and experience with this aged child.
Elizabeth Calanchini is an AMI trained Montessori directress and guide for children ages 0-12. She is formed in 4 levels of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and has hosted/assisted/formed in formations of all levels on both coasts for several years. Since 1991 she has worked in 3 different Catholic Montessori schools, most recently as both a Level 2 & 3 catechist and Director of Programs for 6 years. In the last position she was able to continue working on toddler catechesis and was asked to offer the Toddler Breakout Sessions at the 2014 International Catechesis Celebration in Arizona. For several years she has offered 2 or 3 retreats a year to children preparing for sacraments and celebrating Lent ages 6-13. Elizabeth has consulted independently for a handful of Catholic Montessori Schools and parishes and has offered Montessori Theory and Practical Life to catechist groups. For several years she has been part of a team offering level 1 CGS formations for the Missionaries of Charity novices in San Francisco, CA.
If you would like to find formation for the Level T or Infant-Toddler atrium please go to: https://www.cgsusa.org/learn/find-a-course/?_sfm_course_level=Level%20T%20(ages%200-3)
You can purchase the book for our summer book study of The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey you can purchase the book HERE Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 12. Pentecost with Mary Mirrione | 27 May 2020 | 00:30:53 | |
“And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” ACTS 2:4
Fifty days after the feast of Easter, we celebrate Pentecost. This feast celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father, the birth of our Church and the gifts that God gives us to transform our lives. As we prepare our hearts to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost in this unique time let us ponder together the loving gifts presented to each of us during this feast and each day of our lives.
Mary Mirrione joins us today to reflect on the scripture of Pentecost, how we celebrate this feast in the atrium with children, and how we can celebrate this feast now at home with the children in our lives.
Mary Mirrione began working with CGS in 1992. She and a team of catechists and parents built atria at St Anne’s in Gilbert, Arizona for their 1800 children. She has been a formation leader since 1997 serving as such at home and abroad. She also works with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity throughout the United States and around the world. Mary served on the Board for CGSUSA and is a graduate of the first cohort at Aquinas Institute of Theology to receive a Masters in Pastoral Studies with an emphasis in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She is a faculty member of Kino Catechetical Institute in the Diocese of Phoenix. Since 2010, she serves as the National Director for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Information on Celebrating Pentecost as a Family
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 11. ”Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us” with Karen Maxwell | 13 May 2020 | 00:38:19 | |
“Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” – Luke 24:32
During the Easter season we often hear the story of Jesus with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus. This is one of the resurrection narratives catechists read and discuss with children in the Levels II and III atria (6-11 year old). This scripture offers many avenues to explore for both adults and children. Today Karen Maxwell joins us to ponder this narrative and how it parallels a catechist’s journey through formation in The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Karen became involved with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 1990 when her oldest daughter was four years old. She was moved by the spiritual depth offered to the youngest children and found this approach to faith formation personally enriching as well. She helped to begin all three levels of atria in the first church in Georgia to offer Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She also enjoys introducing adults to this method of catechesis as a CGS formation leader. Karen joined the staff for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 2004 as Director of Formation. Her work supports formation leaders and catechists through communications, conferences, ongoing formation and resources as well as in responding to a variety of inquiries and pastoral concerns about CGS. Karen is one of two US representatives to the International Council. She also was part of the first cohort to complete a Masters in Pastoral Studies in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Aquinas Institute of Theology. Karen currently serves as a Level III catechist for a church in her area. Her children, now young adults, all were involved in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 10. A Reflection on the Good Shepherd Parable with Rebekah Rojcewicz | 29 Apr 2020 | 00:23:15 | |
Join us in a reflection on the Parable of the Good Shepherd led by Rebekah Rojcewicz.
Rebekah Rojcewicz has been a catechist serving all ages of children for thirty-eight years, having received her formation from Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi in Rome, Italy. Rebekah also serves Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in several capacities. In addition to being a catechist in her parish, St. Patrick's Catholic Church, and at the Missionaries of Charity atrium in Memphis, Rebekah is formation leader, a consultant to CGSUSA, and serves on the Giunta (Board) for the International Consiglio.
Rebekah has translated many of the writings of Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi and is the editor and principal author of Baptism is a Beginning. She is one of the authors of The Good Shepherd and the Child A Joyful Journey and had just completed Life on the Vine: The Joyful Journey Continues which will be published next spring.
The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey
The Good Shepherd Parable – John 10:3-5,11-16
“The sheep of the Good Shepherd listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand cares nothing for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.“
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 9. The Story of a Community with Angela Miller | 15 Apr 2020 | 00:32:50 | |
“For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” Ephesians 2:10
This week Angela Miller shares the story of her community in Ohio who have come together in response to the Holy Spirit to build atria, be formed, and fall more deeply in love with God together. From the first day, it was clear to Angela that CGS was unlike anything she had ever experienced. The presence of the Good Shepherd in her own life grew and she fell in love with walking with the children and listening to the Voice of the Good Shepherd together. As a Clinical Psychologist, Angela spends her professional life confronting the deep wounds and brokenness which can plague the human person. She finds in the atrium a place where children and adults can encounter full acceptance and gain a true understanding of their value, place, and purpose in their homes, in their communities, and in the greater context of the plan of God. She feels that the sense of intentional connectedness, irreplaceable worth, and essential belonging that is the natural fruit of the atrium life is a gift of CGS to a hurting world. She offers the wealth of her training and education in psychology, as well as her extensive experience in program development, association leadership, and advocacy to CGSUSA in gratitude for God’s gift of CGS in her life and the lives of her five children.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 116. Men in CGS with Matthew Irwin and Joel Musser | 22 May 2024 | 00:44:26 | |
"God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Find a Formation Course HERE!
Joel Musser and Matthew Irwin join the podcast to talk about men in The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, the benefit of having that full image of God reflected back by having both men and women present in this work for the children, and what we can do to encourage more men to be apart of this work. Matthew Irwin is the Director of Faith Formation at St. Elizabeth Seton in Naples, FL and also serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of CGSUSA. Joel Musser is the Director of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Immaculate Conception Church and Immaculata Catholic School in Durham, NC. He also started and ran for four years the atria at Emmaus Way, an emergent church in Durham. Joel is a Level 1 Formation Leader certified in Levels 1-3, and is currently in Infant-Toddler formation. He has a Master of Theological Studies degree from Duke Divinity School and is in the Mathis Liturgical Leadership Program at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy.
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 8. How Do You Want Us to Prepare? with Ann Garrido | 01 Apr 2020 | 00:32:01 | |
When the day of the feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” They asked him, “Where do you want us to make the preparations?” Luke 22:7-9
In this time when atria sessions, catechist formation, and even liturgical gatherings are being cancelled out of the need to social distance to fight the coronavirus pandemic, we ask how will we live Easter, this holiest time of year? How and where should we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection this year?
A thoughtful gift of encouragement for catechists of the Good Shpherd recently came from CGS leaders in Rome, Francesca and Patrizia Cocchini, who sent what is called in Italian, a Foglietto or a little letter. Certainly we are aware that the coronavirus has been particularly devastating for those in Italy and so both Francesca and Patrizia have pondered the same questions we are also considering as we look to Easter.
Francesca and Patrizia both spent many years as older children, adolescents, and adults with Gianna Gobbi and Sofia Cavalletti in the atria of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Their mother, Tilde Cocchini, was a close friend of Sofia and Gianna and one of their first colleagues in their work with children.
Ann Garrido, a catechist and formation leader for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd shares her reflections as she ponders the question found in the passage from the Gospel of Luke 28:1-8 that Peter and John asked Jesus before the Last Supper, “How do you want us to prepare?” It is a question Christians around the world are asking as we seek to celebrate the Triduum – the holy days of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus.
Francesca Cocchini writes: “This year will be the first time since the Lord celebrated his Easter, that so many of his people—we can say almost all his churches—will not be able to make it the memorial! And immediately what comes to mind for me is that question that all three Synoptic Gospels report: "Lord, where / how [pou in Greek means both things] do you want us to prepare ...?". Alas, it will be the first time, after two thousand years, that this question will be our question, and I have asked Him to show each of us and all of us and all the churches, where and how we should celebrate. Now we must have the patience to wait. We just have to start asking Him, but He will be the one to tell us, to tell everyone. Truly the story will not end without each of his words being fulfilled (cf. Mt 5:18). This year, for the first time, the Churches are invited to ask the question: "Lord, where do you want us to prepare...?"
Ann Garrido is associate professor of homiletics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO and founding director of the school’s Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies program with an emphasis on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (MAPS-CGS). She has served as a catechist with children ages 3-12 since 1996. Ann is also a formation leader with the U.S Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for twenty-one years and a member of the association’s formation committee. She is the author of eight books, including Mustard Seed Preaching (LTP, 2003) (This has been republished as Preaching with Children) and A Year with Sofia Cavalletti (LTP, 2017).
Cavalletti, Sofia. Facets of Joy: Bonds of Unity and Friendship in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Chicago: LTP, 2014) (This is a collection of many of the Foglietti (little memos) written by Sofia Cavalletti)
Garrido, Ann. A Year with Sofia Cavalletti (Chicago: LTP, 2018)
Garrido, Ann. Let's Talk about Truth (ND: Ave Maria Press, 2020)
Thomas M. King, SJ. Teilhard's Mass: Approaches to "The Mass on the World" (NY: Paulist Press, 2005)
Heschel, Abraham Joshua. The Sabbath. (NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005)
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 7. Praying with our Children with Mary Mirrione | 18 Mar 2020 | 00:39:39 | |
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace." Isaiah 54: 10,13
Our lives are in a very unique place with the Coronavirus pandemic flooding the world. As Christians how do we respond to such a time? We have an opportunity to respond with hope and prayer. May the child lead us to a response of overwhelming thanksgiving to the abundance of gifts that surround us that maybe we are normally too busy to see. May we silence ourselves enough to be able to hear God whisper our name. Gianna Gobbi says, “Silence is a necessary means of listening to and responding to God... This is the greatest help to the child in becoming aware of and mastering his or her own actions.” May we embrace this opportunity to walk towards God leading others in our lives towards Him as well.
COVID for Families - https://www.cgsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/Covid-19-for-Families.pdf
Preparing a Prayer Space at Home - https://www.cgsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/Preparing-a-Prayer-Space-at-Home-2020.pdf
CGSUSA response and information regarding COVID 19 https://www.cgsusa.org/homepage/covid-19-response/
Learn more about The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at www.cgsusa.org
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| 6. Geography and the Holy Land with Julie Baltuska | 04 Mar 2020 | 00:31:26 | |
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 NAB Why is exploring the geography of Jesus’ life important for the child’s spiritual journey? Can pondering biblical geography help us understand that Jesus was a real man in time and place? Julie Baltuska shares with us her pilgrimage to the Holy Land and how it moved her spiritually to see, touch, experience the humanity of Jesus by standing where He stood. Throughout her trip she took many pictures she was able to use to help children in the atrium see that the places we lift up are real places on earth they can visit. She later made these pictures into three books for anyone to use in their atria to aid the child’s understanding of Jesus in the land of Israel. These lovely picture books are available for purchase at the CGSUSA eStore: In the method of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd we use geography to aid the understanding of Jesus’ incarnation and humanity. By seeing that the places mentioned in the Bible are real places we can better contemplate the mystery of God, who is outside of time and space, humbling himself to dwell with us in time and space. Julie Baltuska is a catechist and formation leader for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, Kansas. She received catechist formation in all three CGS levels and has served children in all three age groups. She particularly enjoys leading Level III catechist formation and is extremely proud that five additional members of her family are CGS catechists. (mother, brother, sister-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and granddaughter who is currently in Level 1 formation. Soon a sister will begin Level 1 catechist formation as well.) Julie has served on the board of directors for the SonFlower regional association of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Julie holds a theology degree from Rockhurst University. She is married, the mother of seven children, and grandmother of nine. In her “retirement” from being a full-time mother of little ones, Julie has become fairly fluent in Spanish, is beginning to dabble in the arts (sculpture and pastels), and still dreams of learning to play the piano!
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 5. Material Making with Lynda Catalano | 19 Feb 2020 | 00:41:35 | |
“Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others.” – Colossians 3:23 NAB
Does the idea of making materials for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium intimidate you? Do you find material making to be spiritually uplifting or seemingly impossible? Why is the catechist requested to make the materials with his/her own hands? How can this become a tool for spiritual growth?
Lynda Catalano shares with us her wisdom and passion for making the materials by hand. She encourages us to go beyond what we THINK are our artistic capabilities. Lynda shares with us her journey in making materials for the children’s use in the atrium. She offers practical tips along with looking at how through making CGS materials catechists can re-discover the value of being essential and she does this by inviting us to embark on a deeply spiritual Lenten journey while making the City of Jerusalem.
Come join us and be inspired to pick up a paint brush or try your hand at a scroll saw and most importantly, to find spiritual value in the work of YOUR hands and the gift materials are to the work of the children in the atrium.
Lynda Catalano has been a catechist at Trinity Church in Fillmore, California for 30 years. She works weekly in the atrium with groups of 3 to 6-year-olds, 6 to 9-year-olds, and 9 to 12-year-olds. She has led Levels I, II and III catechist formation throughout the United States and internationally including serving on national formation teams. Lynda is bi-lingual in Spanish and has also offered catechist formation in Spanish. She is a member of the Formation Leader Discernment Committee and served on teams for the Formation Leader Training Courses for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Lynda is retired from teaching kindergarten and first graders in a public school. She has four adult children and three beautiful grandchildren.
Find The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd 32 Points of Reflection
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 4. Normalization with Gabriela Perez | 05 Feb 2020 | 00:26:57 | |
“A tranquil mind gives life to the body” Proverbs 14:30a NAB
What is the Montessori philosophy of “normalization?” What does it look like? Does it look the same in each child? How can we foster normalization?
Normalization fosters peace and joy in the child. It allows the child to enter into a deeper spiritual prayer time. As adults we have a unique role to create the optimal environment and freedom that will allow a child to enter into normalization. We are capable of fostering or obstructing this process. We must not allow the uncomfortableness of boredom or struggle to obstruct the child’s natural potential to enter deeply into meaningful work on their own.
Gabriela Perez is a Montessori guide in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. She is the director of Little Way School which is a Catholic Montessori School that serves children of all financial abilities and backgrounds. She has been involved as a Montessori guide and as a catechist for The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for over 12 years. She is AMI certified at the primary level and formed in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in level 1.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 3. The Environment and the Adult with Diane Olsen | 22 Jan 2020 | 00:38:02 | |
"All your children shall be taught by the Lord; great shall be the peace of your children." Isaiah 54:13 NAB Diane Olsen shares with us the importance of the environment for the absorbent mind of the child. We explore the role that the environment has in spiritual formation and the place of the adult in that environment. Our discussion is on the first two chapters of Gianna Gobbi’s book Listening to God with Children. (Listening to God with Children has now been reprinted as the book Nurturing the Whole Child and can be purchased HERE) Diane helps us appreciate the importance of a simple and purposeful environment for children. How does the physical environment of a room aid a child’s spiritual growth and development? A space that is simple and essential has the ability to create peace in the child whereas a busy or embellished environment can be distracting and unsettling to a child. Diane lifts up the adult’s role as the one to prepare the space for the child but the adult must also prepare internally to meet the child where he or she is, leaving all expectations and pride behind. The adult must remember that the Holy Spirit is the true teacher in the atrium. Diane Olsen has been involved in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd since 1990. She has received all formation levels and was recognized as a formation leader in 2002. She is actively involved leading catechist formation around the country and was recognized She is co-director of CGS at Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, Kan. Diane has a philosophy and math degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M., and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies-Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from the Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, Mo. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 2. God and the Child with Rebekah Rojcewicz | 08 Jan 2020 | 00:57:12 | |
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,* you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 NAB
Does the child already have a connection with God? How can we, as adults, foster it? Why does an encounter with God create a peace and joy in the child and what does this look like? What about the children who have a hard time finding that peace and joy? What is a Metaphysical child?
Rebekah Rojcewicz explores with us the spiritual depth of the child that is discussed in the first chapter of The Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti. In this episode she helps us have a deeper understanding and respect for the hidden riches of the child. She lifts up the place of the adult as co-learner so that we can allow the true teacher, the Holy Spirit, to encounter the child.
You can purchase the NEW third edition of The Religious Potential of the Child today!
Rebekah is a catechist and formation leader in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd having completed her training in 1981 in Rome with its founders, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. She has translated several of their books and articles from the original Italian and has written and edited various parts of the CGS core texts. Her book: Life in the Vine: The Joyful Journey Continues…is due for publication in 2020. Rebekah is a catechist at her parish, St. Patrick Catholic Church, and for the Missionaries of Charity atrium in Memphis, Tennessee. She serves on the formation committee of CGSUSA, as well as on the International Board for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 1. Let’s begin | 15 Dec 2019 | 00:15:14 | |
Welcome to the Good Shepherd and the Child Podcast! Where we explore the spirituality of the Christian child using the method of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In this introductory episode Mary Mirrione, National Director of the United States Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, answers the question: WHAT IS The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd? Mary Mirrione began working with CGS in 1992. She and a team of catechists and parents built atria at St Anne’s in Gilbert, Arizona for their 1800 children. She has been a formation leader since 1997 serving as such at home and abroad. She also worked with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in Honduras and Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity throughout the United States and around the world. Mary served on the Board of the National Association and is a member of first cohort at Aquinas Institute to receive a Masters in Pastoral Ministry in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She serves as a faculty member of Kino Catechetical Institute in the Diocese of Phoenix. Since 2010, she serves as the National Director for the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. We hope you will join us every other Wednesday starting January 8th, 2020 for a journey into the religious life of the child and how we as adults can foster and facilitate the children’s relationship with God.
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 115. CGS in the Episcopal Church with Donna Turner and Anna Hurdle | 08 May 2024 | 00:39:02 | |
“These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one floc, one shepherd.” Luke 10:16
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Donna Turner and Anna Hurdle dive into what CGS looks like in the Episcopal Church and its unique history that it has in our work in the United States. Anna Hurdle is a catechist and formation leader at levels I, II and III. She is a retired elementary Montessori guide and coordinator of CGS at her parish in Charlotte, NC. Anna serves the National Association through the Episcopal Committee and the Formation Advisory Council. Donna Turner has been a catechist since 1994. Donna has experience working with children in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Level I, Level II, and Level III. She has been a Level III catechist and volunteer CGS coordinator for 24 years at St. Philip Episcopal Church in Memphis, TN. Donna has been a Formation Leader since 2001. She is the Co-Director of the Good Shepherd Center in Memphis, TN. Donna serves CGSUSA as a member of the Formation Committee and Episcopal Committee and assists with the Level III Materials Manual. She and her husband, Bob, live in Germantown, TN. NAMTA Quote: The following is a quote from the Spring 1999 NAMTA conference entitled The Spiritual Development of the Child in which Sofia spoke via videoconference: “…Of course, there are other traditions, which stress different richness and propose different ways of relationship with the transcendent. To be faithful to my tradition-is it a limitation? In some sense it is, but I have to remember here that there is another basic human need: to belong. We want to belong to a family, to a country, to a culture, and so on. To be a citizen of the world is a very noble ideal and aspiration, but there is a risk in it: the risk of becoming somebody without roots, somebody who has no soil under his or her feet. In this regard, we have to learn a lesson from nature; in nature there are many trees, small ones and big ones, and in order to be alive they have to strictly observe a rule: the breadth of the foliage has to correspond to the size of the roots. If there is not a balance between the foliage and the roots, the tree will fall down and die. In human beings, the roots are our traditions and the foliage is the capacity of being open to wider and wider horizons. We have to take care of both. Only if we are firmly bound to our soil-our tradition-will we be able to have a vital interchange with other cultures and traditions. Only if we are firmly rooted in our tradition will be able to offer others our richness, be open to receive others’ richness, and be capable of taking advantage of it.” Cavalletti, Sofia. "The Spiritual Development of the Child," NAMTA Conference, 11-13 March 1999, Dallas, Texas.
Further Reading:
Purchase Nurturing the Whole Child HERE
Other Episodes with Donna or Anna:
Episode 35- Baptism with Donna Turner
Episode 41- The Elementary Aged Child with Anna Hurdle
Other Episodes About Ecumenism-
Episode 29- CGS and Christian Unity with Bishop Talley
Learn more about the 40th Anniversary Celebration of CGSUSA HERE
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 114. Characteristic #27 with Francesca Cocchini and Marty O’Bryan | 24 Apr 2024 | 00:41:03 | |
“Let the little children come to me; do not stop them.” Mark 10:14
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE! Read the article “Characteristics of the Good Shepherd Catechesis Number 27” HERE What are the principal points which distinguish this catechesis and because of which it is called the “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd”? We have 32 characteristics that are intended to represent the principal aspects of the catechesis as they have emerged after more than fifty years of work with children of different countries, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. These characteristics are reflective of the constants which have presented themselves in this work and are presented here with the invitation to go deeper into them for further reflection. Read all 32 Points of Reflection HERE
In the 2020 CGS Journal Francesca Cocchini wrote an article about characteristic #27. Today we will listen to that article as well as discuss it with Marty O’Bryan. Marty also answers one of our listener’s questions about how to manage a level one atrium and still follow the child with many little ones. Read the article HERE
Characteristic #27: The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is also concerned with helping adults open their eyes to the hidden riches of the child, especially to the child’s spiritual wealth, so that adults will be drawn to learn from the child and to serve him/her. The guiding principles in this endeavor are:
Marty O’Bryan began her formation in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd with Sofia Cavalletti in 1983 and has been a catechists since 1985. She conducts adult formations at Levels I, II and III throughout the United States. A retired speech and language pathologist, Marty holds a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies with an emphasis on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from Aquinas Institute of Theology. Currently, she works with children in Level I, II, and III atria in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.
Further Reading:
2020 Journal of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd The Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old by Sofia Cavalletti
Other Episodes You Might Enjoy
Episode 94-CGS Characteristics #17, 18, 19, and 20 with Lynda Catalano and Diane Olsen Episode 95- CGS Characteristics #21 and 25 with Lynne Worthington and Marty O’Bryan
Learn more about the 40th Anniversary Celebration of CGSUSA HERE
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS:
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 113. Nurturing the Whole Child with Rebekah Rojcewicz | 10 Apr 2024 | 00:39:47 | |
“Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3
“Help us, O God, to enter into the secret of childhood, so that we may know, love and serve the child in accordance with the laws of thy justice and following thy holy will.” Maria Montessori
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Artwork/Figure 11 from The Religious Potential of the Child that Rebekah speaks about
We are so happy to announce that Nurturing the Whole Child: Montessori Principles Applied to the Catechesis of Children by Gianna Gobbi is now available in print and on Kindle! For many years we have been looking to update, clarify, and add to Gianna’s written work that was held in the book Listening to God with Children. This is now published through our CGSUSA imprint with Liturgy Training Publications. It is a beautiful book with chapters from Gianna that were written after the publication of Listening to God with Children. It had photos and an appendix of articles from others who have written about Gianna, including her closest collaborator, Sofia Cavalletti. Rebekah joins us on the podcast to share with us about Gianna and the story of bringing her writing to us. Rebekah is a catechist and formation leader in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd having completed her training in 1981 in Rome with Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. She has translated several of their books and articles from the original Italian and has written and edited various parts of the CGS core texts. Rebekah is a catechist at her parish, St. Patrick Catholic Church, and for the Missionaries of Charity atrium in Memphis, Tennessee. She serves on the formation committee of CGSUSA, as well as on the International Board for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Further Reading:
Purchase Nurturing the Whole Child HERE Purchase the Commemorative Journal: Gianna Gobbi 1919 – 2002 HERE Purchase A Year with Sofia Cavalletti: Daily Reflections on the Spirtual and Theological Influences of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd by Ann Garrido
Other Episodes with Rebekah-
Episode 10- A Reflection on the Good Shepherd
Episode 71 – A Glimpse at Sofia Cavalletti
Episode 97- The International Consiglio
Other Episodes About Gianna or Her Writing-
Episode 3 - Chapter 1 “The Environment” and chapter 2 “The Adult”
Episode 78- A Glimpse of Gianna Gobbi
Episode 93- The Meaning, Importance, and Limitations of our Catechetical Materials
Episode 98 – Welcoming the Children
Learn more about the 40th Anniversary Celebration of CGSUSA HERE
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 112. Pedagogy of the Child and God- Fr Mongillo with Claudia Margarita Schmitt | 27 Mar 2024 | 00:27:05 | |
"One body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6
“What have we done to Christianity? We have made it into a lot of rules; but Christianity is to enjoy a Person.” Fr Dalmazio Mongillo
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Claudia joins us on the podcast to share with us some of her memories about Father Mongillo as well as tell us about his teachings regarding the pedagogy of God and the child.
Claudia Margarita Schmitt lived in many different countries throughout her life. She has discovered over time that her roots are first in her Roman Catholic faith and also in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Everywhere she goes she recognizes the same language being used to discover the mystery of God. As an international formation leader for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She constantly has this experience of finding her roots. She has been a catechist for 33 years and a formation leader for 32. She lived for 8 years in Rome studying and working with Gianna Gobbi and Sofia Cavalletti. She describes this time as precious and that they taught her many things but first to be humble.
Further Reading: Journal Articles by Fr Mongillo:
Sofia’s article about Fr Mongillo from the 2006 Journal, read HERE A Year with Sofia Cavalletti by Ann Garrido Essential Realities, Ch. 2 Catechesis as Celebration by Fr Mongillo
Heritage Episodes- Episode 60- Pioneers of CGS with Betty Hissong Episode 68- The CGS Heritage- Eugenio Zolli Episode 76- The CGS Heritage- Romano Guardini Episode 92- Who was Adele Costa Gnocchi
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 111. About Justice, A Meditation by Fr Mongillo with Ann Garrido | 13 Mar 2024 | 00:38:14 | |
"One body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6
“What have we done to Christianity? We have made it into a lot of rules; but Christianity is to enjoy a Person.” Fr Dalmazio Mongillo
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Ann Garrido joins us to discuss Fr Mongillo’s article, About Justice, A Meditation, from the 1999 Journal of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd where he defines justice in the religious sense and how it applies to our life in the atrium with children.
Read Mongillo’s article, About Justice, A Meditation HERE.
Ann Garrido has been a catechist of the Good Shepherd since 1996. She currently serves as a Level One catechist at her parish while she also serves as a formation leader for the US Association at all three levels. Ann is an Associate Professor at Aquinas Institute of Theology, a graduate school of theology and ministry in the Dominican tradition. She is the author of multiple works, including her newest book Redeeming Power about the healthy and holy exercise of leadership.
Further Reading:
Journal Articles by Fr Mongillo:
Sofia’s article about Fr Mongillo from the 2006 Journal, read HERE A Year with Sofia Cavalletti by Ann Garrido Essential Realities, Ch. 2 Catechesis as Celebration by Fr Mongillo
ANN’S NEW BOOK – REDEEMING POWER
Heritage Episodes-
Episode 60- Pioneers of CGS with Betty Hissong Episode 68- The CGS Heritage- Eugenio Zolli Episode 76- The CGS Heritage- Romano Guardini Episode 92- Who was Adele Costa Gnocchi
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 110. Learning to Love- Father Dalmazio Mongillo and Patricia Coulter | 28 Feb 2024 | 00:45:04 | |
“Love as I love you.” John 13:34
“Lent is the time in which the joy of loving is rejuvenated.” - Father Mongillo
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Patricia Coulter joins us on the podcast to tell us more about Father Mongillo and to open up the beauty of his article, Learning to Love, from the 2009 journal.
Read the article Learning to Love from the 2009 Journal
Patricia Coulter met Sofia Cavalletti in 1975, and their friendship and close collaboration lasted until Sofia’s death in 2011. Patricia collaborated with Sofia in formation courses, in translations of her writings, and in coauthoring various books. Patricia’s most recent words are a collection of Sofia’s writings, All if Gift: Enjoying the Presence of God and letters, Look at the Light, Words of Loss and Love from Sofia Cavalletti. Dr. Coulter received her certification in the Franciscan Internship Program in Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats and her doctorate in ministry from the University of St Michael’s College, University of Toronto. She is the recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice cross for her pastoral ministry with adults and children.
Prayer by Father Mongillo, can be found on page 275-276 of A Year with Sofia Cavalletti: Trinity Love
Trinity most sweet! Abba, Father! Son, Jesus! Spirit, Love! Trinity all love! Source of our identity and our peace, source of our happiness! We adore you, we praise you, we bless you, we thank you, we love you! Abba, Father! give us your Spirit, give us the Spirit of your Son! The Spirit who knows the depths of your mystery, the Spirit who knows the depths of our mystery! Give us the Spirit, in whom you have entrusted the Son to us, the Spirit who took Jesus by the hand and made him Son for us! So that he takes us by the hand and accompanies us on our pilgrim way toward your dwelling, where we will contemplate you with uncovered face… And you will see Jesus in us, the beloved, and we will lose ourselves in your gaze of love as in an infinite sea… as the Son and in the Son, all in one with You… with the Beloved… with the Lover, in the same ecstasy of love forever! Amen.
Further Reading:
Journal Articles by Fr Mongillo:
A Year with Sofia Cavalletti by Ann Garrido Patricia’s Books:
Podcast Episodes with Patricia-
Episode 89 – Background of Ways to Nurture the Relationship with God Episode 91- The Infinite Mercy of God with Patricia Coulter
Heritage Episodes-
Episode 60- Pioneers of CGS with Betty Hissong Episode 68- The CGS Heritage- Eugenio Zolli Episode 76- The CGS Heritage- Romano Guardini Episode 92- Who was Adele Costa Gnocchi Episode 109. The CGS Heritage- Father Dalmazio Mongillo, To Enjoy a Person with Sue Jett
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 109. The CGS Heritage- Father Dalmazio Mongillo, To Enjoy a Person with Sue Jett | 14 Feb 2024 | 00:26:13 | |
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5 “What have we done to Christianity? We have made it into a lot of rules; but Christianity is to enjoy a Person.” Fr Dalmazio Mongillo
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Who is Father Dalmazio Mongillo and how has he influenced our work in The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
Read Sofia’s article about Fr Mongillo: Christianity? To Enjoy a Person from the 2006 Journal
Sue first began implementing the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 2003 while teaching at St. Peter's Catholic School in Beaufort, SC. She is certified in Levels I, II, and III and became a formation leader in 2010 after receiving her Master of Arts degree in the discipline of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO. Sue has directed religious education programs in the dioceses of Milwaukee, Chicago, and NW Indiana and has facilitated the development of CGS in several parishes. She currently serves as a Level 1 Catechist at St. James the Less in Highland, IN and works with lower-elementary children at the Montessori Children's Schoolhouse in Hammond, IN.
Further Reading: Journal Articles by Fr Mongillo:
A Year with Sofia Cavalletti by Ann Garrido
Heritage Episodes- Episode 60- Pioneers of CGS with Betty Hissong Episode 68- The CGS Heritage- Eugenio Zolli Episode 76- The CGS Heritage- Romano Guardini Episode 92- Who was Adele Costa Gnocchi
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 126. The Thinking Environment with Jennifer Bell | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:41:07 | |
"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves" Romans 12:10
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
CGSUSA Parent Pages HERE
Virtual Songbook: Songs of the Atrium HERE
Jennifer Bell dives into the work of the Thinking Environment that has been thought provoking for our work in CGS with adults and even in some cases with children.
Jennifer Bell is an International Formation Leader and has been a Catechist of the Good Shepherd for 27 years. She continually works with children 2-12 years old in Atria in schools, homes, and parishes. She is a Formation Leader in Levels 1 and 2 and was on the original Seminal Infant Toddler Formation Team. She has been active in developing this work since 2015. This CGS way of being with children in their relationship with God has informed Jennifer’s work as a Spiritual Director, transforming lives in individual and group settings. Jennifer has added Nancy Klein's work and will soon be a certified Time to Think Group Facilitator and Coach. https://www.timetothink.com/thinking-environment/ Igniting one's own independent thinking so private dreams can be seen and realized. You will find more information and ways to work with Jennifer at www.spiritdirection.com. There are special offerings for our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd friends – parents, catechists, priests, all of you.” Direct link to Jennifer's “Time to Think” offerings: https://www.spiritdirection.com/time-to-think
Information about the Basic Needs of Baby Course!
Other Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In: Episode 36- The True Vine with Tim Bell Episode 92- Who was Adele Costa Gnocchi with Karin Slabaugh Episode 99- Oxytocin With Ruth Ehrhardt and Mary Mirrione Episode 37 – CGS and Spiritual Direction with Autumn Domingue Episode 85 – CGS and Accompaniment with Fr Boniface Hicks
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS:
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 108. Phenomenology with Dr. Donald Wallenfang | 31 Jan 2024 | 00:42:57 | |
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. Matthew 11: 24,25
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE! What is Phenomenology and how do we see it lived out both in the child and in the atrium? Donald (Donny) Wallenfang, OCDS, PhD is a Level III catechist, Secular Discalced Carmelite, and Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. He received his MTS from St Norbert College and his doctorate from Loyola University Chicago. He has published twelve books as well as numerous articles and book chapters on a variety of topics in Christian theology and philosophy. His areas of expertise merge at the intersection of Carmelite spirituality, phenomenology, metaphysics, liturgical theology, evangelization and catechesis. Wallenfang served in full-time youth and young adult ministry for nine years. He has been married to his wife, Megan, for twenty-four years and has six children.
Further Reading:
The Religious Potential of the Child 3rd Edition The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 year old 2nd Edition Way of Holy Joy by Sofia Cavalletti Redeeming Conflict by Ann Garrido A Year with Sofia Cavalletti by Ann Garrido Phenomenology: A Basic Introduction in the Light of Jesus Christ by Donald Wallenfang Shoeless: Carmelite Spirituality in a Disquieted World by Donald and Megan Wallenfang Dialectical Anatomy of the Eucharist: An Étude in Phenomenology by Donald Wallenfang Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori
Other Episodes You Might Enjoy
Episode 107- The Metaphysical Child with Dr Donald Wallenfang Episode 82 - Merciful Parenting
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 107. The Metaphysical Child with Dr. Donald Wallenfang | 17 Jan 2024 | 00:35:06 | |
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will." Matthew 11: 24,25
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE! What is metaphysics and how does it relate to the child? How does Montessori’s idea of the triangular relationship which is the child, the adult, the environment manifest this idea of metaphysics. How can we as adults create environments that allow the child to be more metaphysical? “There is no being more metaphysical than the child.” Sofia RPC1 Donald (Donny) Wallenfang, OCDS, PhD is a Level III catechist, Secular Discalced Carmelite, and Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. He received his MTS from St Norbert College and his doctorate from Loyola University Chicago. He has published twelve books as well as numerous articles and book chapters on a variety of topics in Christian theology and philosophy. His areas of expertise merge at the intersection of Carmelite spirituality, phenomenology, metaphysics, liturgical theology, evangelization and catechesis. Wallenfang served in full-time youth and young adult ministry for nine years. He has been married to his wife, Megan, for twenty-four years and has six children.
Further Reading:
The Religious Potential of the Child 3rd Edition The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 year old 2nd Edition Way of Holy Joy by Sofia Cavalletti Donald Wallenfang, Metaphysics: A Basic Introduction in a Christian Key (Cascade, 2019). Thomas Aquinas, Aquinas’s Shorter Summa (Sophia Institute, 2001).
Other Episodes You Might Enjoy
Episode 82 - Merciful Parenting
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 106. Rebroadcasted- Montessori’s Epiphany with Sherry Mock | 03 Jan 2024 | 00:35:09 | |
"Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you." Isaiah 60: 4-5
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Epiphany is 117 years since Maria Montessori dedicated a space specifically for the poor children of San Lorenzo which began her lifelong work of discovering the child and their absorbent minds. Sherry Mock joins us today to tell us the spirit filled story of that beautiful Epiphany. Sherry Mock lives in Texas with her husband. She has been trained as a Montessori guide and in all three levels of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, Godmother, Bible teacher, and church and community volunteer.
Further Reading:
2020 The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Journal The Child in the Church by Maria Montessori Other Episode with Sherry:
Episode 52: Practical Life with Sherry Mock
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 105. Welcoming the Christ Child as a Sacred Act with Mary Mirrione | 20 Dec 2023 | 00:29:31 | |
"And Mary kept all theses things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Mary Mirrione and I ponder the great mystery of the Incarnation as we do with the children in the work of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd wondering about that great mystery of who Jesus is. Our conversation today is in light of what we are learning through our work with the infant and toddler about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, what the basic needs of a woman in labor and a newborn are and what light this might give us about the mystery of the Incarnation. Further Reading:
The Basic Needs of a Woman in Labour by Ruth Ehrhardt
The History of the Kingdom of God, Part 1: From Creation to Parousia
Other Podcast Episodes You Might Want to Listen To:
Episode 99- Oxytocin with Ruth Ehrhardt and Mary Mirrione
Episode 92- Adele Costa Gnocchi with Karin Slabaugh
Episode 27 – Mystery of the Incarnation with Karen Maxwell Episode 53 – The Birth and Infancy of Jesus with Ann Garrido Episode 104. Incarnation and the Annunciation with Sofia Cavalletti
AUDIOBOOK:
Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 104. Incarnation and the Annunciation with Sofia Cavalletti | 06 Dec 2023 | 00:22:42 | |
"Let it be with me according to you word.” Luke 1:38
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
As we enter Advent and celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception let us listen to Sofia’s words from Chapters 41 and 43 of The History of the Kingdom of God Part One on the Incarnation and the Annunciation
Further Reading:
The History of the Kingdom of God, Part 1: From Creation to Parousia
UPDATE- Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook. Learn more HERE
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 103. Friendship of Catechists with Mary Heinrich | 22 Nov 2023 | 00:30:27 | |
"Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other." —1 John 4:11
Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Mary Heinrich discusses with us the value of friendship in this work as well as different networks you can set up to help sustain this desired support and community. Mary is the Membership Coordinator for The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Prior to joining the staff, Mary served on the CGSUSA Board of Trustees for seven years. Mary has also served as a Director of Faith Formation in the Catholic Church for twenty-nine years, as well as a consultant and editor for religious education publishers. She earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. Her husband, Kurt is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Des Moines and teaches theology at the local Catholic high school, is a Level One catechist, and enjoys making materials for the atrium. Their daughter, Clare, is the elementary faith formation coordinator at her Church, working in the Level One and Level Two atria. When not immersed in CGS, Mary enjoys reading, art and spending time with her family.
Information about Regional Groups
Other Episode with Mary: Episode 31 - “Even Now” A Lenten Reflection with Mary Heinrich
Further Reading: Read Tina Lillig’s article Life of the Catechist online
UPDATE- Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook. Learn more HERE
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 102. Theological Reflection with Autumn Domingue | 08 Nov 2023 | 00:50:46 | |
"And Mary kept all these things, pondering on them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE! Autumn Domingue joins us on the podcast again to explain the art of Theological Reflection, how it can help us in this work, and to demonstrate the process to us. Autumn Domingue is a spiritual director, formation leader, and Life Coach, whose greatest joy is journeying with those searching for greater meaning and purpose in their lives. In addition to her private practice, Autumn supervises other spiritual directors and currently works as a mental health coach for Lyra Mental Health whose mission is to transform access to life-changing mental health care. Autumn enjoys yoga, painting, playing with her grandchildren, and taking long walks in the Texas Hill Country where she resides. Go to Autumn’s website HERE
Other Episodes with Autumn: Episode 37 –CGS and Spiritual Direction
Episode 42 - The Mystery of Time
Further Reading:
2019 Journal of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd article Growing Collaboration through Theological Reflection Supervising Ministry Students by Ann M. Garrido Chapter 3 (Theological Reflection: The Heart of Field Education) The Art of Theological Reflection By Patricia O'Connell Killen and John DeBeer UPDATE- Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook. Learn more HERE
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||
| 101. The Transitioning Child with Diane Olsen | 25 Oct 2023 | 00:36:05 | |
"Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Genesis 1:26 Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE! Diane Olsen returns to the podcast to explore who the transitioning child is, the 6 year old, the 9 year old, and the 12 year old. We also discuss how we can best serve these children in our atria. “We must take man himself, take him with patience and confidence, across all the planes of education. We must put everything before him, the school, culture, religion, the world itself. We must help him to develop within himself that which will make him capable of understanding. It is not merely words, it is a labor of education. This will be a be a preparation for peace, for peace cannot exist without justice and without men endowed with a strong conscience and personality.” Montessori, Maria. The Four Planes of Education (pg 10) Diane Olsen has been involved in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd since 1990. She has received all formation levels and was recognized as a formation leader in 2002. She is actively involved leading catechist formation around the country. Diane has a philosophy and math degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies-Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from the Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, Missouri. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother.
Other Episodes that relate to this topic: The Four Planes of Development with Claire Paglia
Other Episodes with Diane: Episode 3 – The Environment and the Adult with Diane Olsen Episode 25 - Prayer of Thanksgiving with Diane Olsen Episode 94-CGS Characteristics #17, 18, 19, and 20 with Lynda Catalano and Diane Olsen
The Four Planes of Education by Maria Montessori
UPDATE- Audiobook – Now Available on Audible CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz! The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook. Learn more HERE
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd
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| 100. Art as Prayer Response with Marty O’Bryan | 11 Oct 2023 | 00:39:34 | |
"Bless the Lord, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name!” Psalm 103:1 Episode 100!! Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!
Read Marty’s article from the 2017 Journal Inspiriting Art Expression Online here.
Marty O”Bryan returns to the podcast to talk about prayer as a response in children, especially their art work. Marty O’Bryan began her formation in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd with Sofia Cavalletti in 1983 and has been a catechists since 1985. She conducts adult formations at Levels I, II and III throughout the United States. A retired speech and language pathologist, Marty holds a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies with an emphasis on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd from Aquinas Institute of Theology. Currently, she works with children in Level I, II, and III atria in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.
Art Submissions for the CGSUSA Annual Journal The Journal committee invites reflections by children you work with on the mysteries they encounter in the atrium, whether these are voiced or written prayer or theological expression through art. We especially seek syntheses of the various themes they have received. Please follow these guidelines for submitting children’s work or photographs for possible publication in 2024 Journal:
Please send materials to: Journal Editors / Catechesis of the Good Shepherd 7655 East Main Street Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Email: journal@cgsusa.org
Art Supplies for the Atrium sold by CGSUSA The HeART of the Child Art Book
Other Episodes with Marty: Episode 61- The Roots of the Eucharist and the Easter Mystery Episode 95- CGS Characteristics #21 and #25
Find out more about CGS: Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Follow us on Social Media- Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” Instagram- cgsusa Twitter- @cgsusa Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd | |||