Newly-established Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs help children grow closer to God

Whether its in figurines of the Parables, maps of the Holy Land, or models of chalices and vestments, children in the archdiocese have new opportunities to encounter Christ in a tangible and corporeal way.

Thanks to the work of dedicated parishioners and volunteers, there are two newly initiated Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs opening in the archdiocese.

In late 2024 St. Joseph Church in Grande Prairie launched its Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, offered to children aged 3-6. And thanks to the efforts of Christine Hoogendoorn, a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program is also about to begin at St. Edmund’s Church in Hythe.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an acclaimed educational program that has been around for over seven decades. While it began as a Catholic program in Rome, it is offered today in multiple languages and countries, in both rural and intercity parishes, and in Catholic, Orthodox and protestant churches.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd mixes together Catholic catechesis for children with the Montessori Method, a style of teaching through hands-on work that is intended to help children discover information for themselves, rather than just having it presented to them.

So instead of utilizing workbooks and assignments, Catechism of the Good Shepherd creatively weaves together Jesus’s parables, the events of the Gospels, the sacraments and the Mass through visual aids and physical objects, from which the children are meant to discover the Church’s teachings on their own through their personal engagement with the materials.

Through figurines of sheep and shepherds children come to know the parable of the Good Shepherd, as well as the role Jesus plays in their lives as their trusted shepherd. By tracing the steps on a map of ancient Judea, they come to know the events of the Gospel. Through folding cloth on a dotted line, they become familiar with the preparation of the altar at Mass. Through watering plants, they come to know the spiritual growth that baptism brings into their lives.

These examples are just some of the ways in which Catechesis of the Good Shepherd helps make the Faith real and palpable to young children.

“Children in their youngest years are very busy; they’re not ones for sitting still. They like to be moving around, to be involved, so this really captures their attention. They get to learn about the faith in a visual and hands-on way, which is really important for children,” said Christine, who hopes to see her Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program launch in February.

“When we teach the parable of the Good Shepherd, they can see the parable in real form – Jesus and the sheep in a pen – and they can use that material afterwards to cement its message in their minds. The hope is that they will make that connection with God through the materials and that they’ll get to know who Jesus is in the figurine and in hearing about Him.”

This physical and “incarnational” way of teaching the Faith also appeals to the program’s instructors. Given her background as a physician rather than a teacher, the hands-on style of teaching was especially appealing to Marie Moreau who facilitates the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program in Grande Prairie.

“The program really appeals to me because it’s about experiencing God with children, rather than ‘lecturing’. It’s a program where the instructor gets as much out of as the children do,” Marie said.

All of the program’s activities take place within the “atrium”, a space in the church intended to provide an open and quiet area where children are encouraged to engage with the materials, be prayerful and reflect on their relationship with God.

This quiet and reflective space is particularly important in lessons related to the celebration of Mass. Models to represent vestments (coloured for each liturgical season and feast), chalices, altars and more are part of the materials used. These items help the children experience the sacred objects of Mass, as well as the actions that the priest makes, at a level that is appropriate to their understanding.

“There’s a lot that they will see in the atrium that they’ll see in the Church. It’s like a model church in the classroom – we have an altar, a kneeler for prayer, a baptismal font,” Christine explained. “It will all help them understand what goes on in the Mass, what the priest’s gestures mean, what the chalice is for, and to feel comfortable with being at Mass. And we make sure that they are respectful of these items – they are not just for play. We show them how to properly lay them out and put them away.”

At St. Joseph Church in Grande Prairie, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd launched with some initial classes in late 2024, but Marie is hoping to get the program fully up and running in the fall. It’s a program that’s been a long time in the making for the Grande Prairie parish.

This is only an excerpt. Read the full story in the January-February 2025 edition of Northern Light