In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus holds children up as spiritual models when he says, “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” They may be the smallest, but certainly not the least. We consider our children an essential part of who we are and do all we can to respect and nurture their relationship with Christ.
You will find our children at the heart of our life in Christ at St. Michael. We embrace the vision and understanding of the spiritual life of children as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the spiritual formation of children 3-12 years old based on Scripture and Liturgy and underpinned by the Montessori Method of education.
Developed in Rome over 50 years ago by Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, this work is sometimes described as the meeting ground of two Mysteries: the Mystery of God and the Mystery of the Child. The place of this encounter is the “atrium” classroom. These environments are specially prepared spaces with developmentally appropriate materials designed to help the child come closer to God. The Atrium is a place of prayer, work, study, and community.
There are separate environments:
Level 1 Ages 3-6: "The Good Shepherd" Atrium - God's Love
Level 2 Ages 6-9: "The True Vine" Atrium - Moral Formation
Level 3 Ages 9-12: "The Golden Thread" Atrium - Historical Faith Traditions
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has been a mustard seed work for us at St. Michael. It is a steadily growing ministry that will include a full scope of this approach for children ages 3 to 12 years. Your child will meet in the Atrium every week for 1.5 hours between October to May.
There are multiple ways your family can be a part of this ministry that fosters a love of God for our children:
For more information, click here or contact Allison Cummings at:
allisongcummings@gmail.com
Thank you for your interest. Registrations for the school year 2024-2025 are now closed.