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CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Faith Formation for Children

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GOOD SHEPHERD CATECHESIS 
Level I    (Ages 3-6)

 

In the Level I Atrium, children discover:
 

  • God is love, Jesus is risen, and we are His sheep.
     

  • Children enjoy biblical accounts of events such as the birth of Jesus and the Last Supper, to proclaim that Jesus was a real person who lived in a specific place in time.
     

  • Children encounter elements of the liturgy, to encourage understanding and thoughtful participation.
     

  • They contemplate parables that allow them to ponder the mystery of Kingdom of God, especially the call to joyful relationship with Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
     

  • Children partake of prayer opportunities, alone and in community, for enjoyment of God's gifts.

TRUE VINE CATECHESIS 
Level II    (Ages 6-9)

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As children move into Level II, they are capable of contemplating the mysteries of time, and they wonder:

What is God’s plan? 

What is my role in God’s plan? 
 

Using the parables of the True Vine and the Good Shepherd, children consider the question:
 

How are we called to live in covenant relationship?

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In addtion:
 

  • They hear about God’s Plan of Salvation as shown to us in the Bible
     

  • They contemplate the gifts that human beings have received from God through time. 
     

  • They develop their moral intelligence by considering the parables Jesus told of mercy and justice, as well as his moral guidelines.
     

  • They discover their role in God’s plan and their own place in the community of believers—the church.
     

  • They acquire the tools to enable them to access the Word of God (Bible) and the prayers of the church in the rites of Eucharist, Baptism and Reconciliation.
     

PLAN OF GOD CATECHESIS
Level III    (Ages 9-12)

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The covenant is considered with respect to God's revelation and relationship with us through time—The History of the Plan of God.

Children in this stage of development have a wider perspective.  They want to know more about God's plan of salvation, so they ask:

What is God calling me to do as His co-worker in the Kingdom?  

What gifts have I been given to use in this work? 

 

In addition:

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  • They discover timelines of God’s Plan of Salvation; great figures and events in the scriptures: Creation, The Flood, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, miracles.
     

  • They explore the gifts that we are given to help us on our spiritual journey, including the rites of Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist and Healing. 
     

  • They reflect on the teachings of Jesus to help us understand the meaning of life and our call to live our cosmic tasks, as co-workers with God in the Kingdom.

All levels have an annual registration fee of $150

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