PALM BEACH | Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children starting at age 3 that is offered at five parishes in the Diocese of Palm Beach. Known for creating a sacred, hands-on learning environment called an atrium, CGS is seeing positive results as a method of exposing children to the Catholic faith through Scripture and liturgy.
As CGS expands in the diocese, the need for trained catechists increases. An intensive program to prepare CGS catechists is set to begin in July at the Basilica of St. Edward in Palm Beach, where the latest atrium has begun for children in Level I (3 to 6 years old). The training involves 90 hours of lectures, meditations and presentations to form catechists for ministry.
The Level I training will take place July 16-19 and Jan. 7-10, every day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with two additional days to be determined. The formation leader will be Lisa Brett-Reeves of Michigan, assisted by Cecilia Burke of Largo in the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was developed in Rome in the 1950s by two Catholic laywomen — Sophia Cavalletti, a Scripture scholar, and Gianna Gobbi, a teacher who used methods established by physician and educator Dr. Maria Montessori. The two formed a partnership to test how Montessori’s methods could be applied to the religious formation of children, and studies have shown the effectiveness of CGS in passing along an enduring foundation in the Catholic faith.
One of the ways that CGS stands out from other forms of faith formation for children are the use of miniature objects that are models of those in church, such as a tabernacle, altar, sacred vessels, an ambo (podium) and ambry (container for holy oils), along with materials that teach about various Bible stories.
In the Diocese of Palm Beach, Level I of CGS is offered at St. Edward, Holy Spirit in Lantana, St. Clare in North Palm Beach, St. Jude in Tequesta and St. Lucie in Port St. Lucie. Additionally, Level II (for 6- to 9-year-olds) is available at St. Jude and St. Lucie. Level III (ages 9-12) will be eventually offered as catechists advance in their training, said Liliana Soto-Cabrera, diocesan faith formation coordinator and a Level I catechist, who plans to become a CGS formation leader to prepare additional catechists.
“To become a formation leader, you need to be trained in Level I, Level II and Level III. I will soon complete Level II and begin Level III, completing Level III in 2026,” she said. Having an in-house formation leader should lower catechists’ tuition cost, as well as additional training expenses usually incurred by out-of-state formation leaders. Tuition is $500, including a $100 nonrefundable deposit for registration.
Scholarships and other tuition assistance may be available, Soto-Cabrera said, especially if a parish or generous donor is willing to fund catechist training for a new atrium to be established. As a Level I catechist, she sees the benefits of leading children to an encounter with Christ through CGS.
Scripture passages are presented by the catechist to the child using verses that are essential in their understanding of events such as the Last Supper, the Annunciation and Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Using the child-size figurines — Mary, baby Jesus, Joseph, shepherds, sheep, the apostles and more — the children are then given time to contemplate each story.
“We step back and allow them to prayerfully respond to the gift of Scripture using the materials that have been presented to them,” Soto-Cabrera said. “There was one child who said, ‘Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross, and thank you for my family.’ This was just his personal prayer, without me prompting. My only question was, ‘Is there anything you would like to say to Jesus?’
“The Holy Spirit is leading everything. We’re just answering,” she said. “We answer the promptings of the Holy Spirit with each child and with the presentation and with the final prayer. So, no two sessions are identical because the Holy Spirit leads in different ways. It’s just beautiful to see.”
The objective of each atrium is to be an oasis of calm and quiet for children whose lives are often amazingly busy, Soto-Cabrera said. People walking by are surprised that eight to 10 young children are inside because of the silence. That subdued atmosphere is intentional to encourage children’s contemplation.
Dominican Sister Mary Michael Fox, an expert in catechetics, says in her 2022 book “Following God’s Pedagogy” that, of all methods of teaching the faith she has seen, “none provide God with as much opportunity to work as the CGS approach affords. The material content of the CGS is God’s word and the church’s liturgy. The proclamation of this content is limited to only what is essential, providing time and silence for the child to converse with God.”
The room that is now the Level I atrium at St. Edward was previously occupied at different times by the parish women’s guild and music ministry. An adjoining room is being readied to become a Level II atrium. Elizabeth Bockmeyer, parish faith formation director, has been acquiring furniture to begin expanding to Level II.
“One of my parishioners, she went through this (as a child) and now she’s a mom with kids,” Bockmeyer said. “She was really the driving force. She was like, ‘You’ve got to try it. It brought me so close to Christ.’ It’s neat that it’s been around so long.”
Her pastor, Archimandrite Glen Pothier, said he is pleased to see the faith formation program growing. The goal is to offer the best possible Catholic formation to children that helps them participate in church life.
“I would also say that one of the things we lack here at St. Edward is something that disappeared a long time ago: altar servers,” he said. “I’m hoping to be able to encourage them in their youth as they grow up to see that serving is an important part of their parish and faith life. It’s very much who we are.”
To learn more about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the diocese, visit https://www.diocesepb.org/ministriesoffices/ministries/marriage-family-life-faith-formation-youth-ministry/early-and-elementary-formation/the-catechesis-of-the-good-shepherd.html. To apply for a spot in the next CGS training sessions, contact Liliana Soto-Cabrera at lsotocabrera@diocesepb.org or 561-775-9549.
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