ATRIUM…section of the early Church buildings in which the Catechumens were instructed (Entry-way to the church).The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children ages 2 ˝ -12. It is rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. Children gather in an "Atrium," a room prepared for them, which contains simple yet beautiful materials that they use. Sofia Cavalletti, a biblical scholar and Gianna Gobbi, educator and student of Maria Montessori, founded the Catechesis in 1954. By carefully observing the children at work, they found that by providing age-appropriate materials and removing any parts that might detract from its core purpose, that the children worked individually or with others in an atmosphere of reflection and self-expression. The “class-room” in which this took place was the Atrium. The curriculum of the catechesis is constructed so that it accommodates and nurtures the faith, moral and psychological stages of a child’s growth. How do these materials help the religious life of a child? If an adult hears a beautiful passage from the Bible, the adult might take a Bible, find the passage, and read it slowly, again and again. He or she may think deeply about the words and perhaps speak to God in a thankful or hopeful prayer. However, a little child, too young to read, needs another way. In an atrium, the child can ponder a biblical passage or a prayer from the liturgy by taking the material for that text and working with it - placing wood figures of sheep in a sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, setting sculpted apostles around a Last Supper table, or preparing a small altar with the furnishings used for the Eucharist. Older children who can read often copy parables from the Bible, lay in order and copy written prayers from The Mass or label a long time line showing the history of the kingdom of God. Within the prayerful environment of the Atrium, the children can meditate on the words of the prophets or parables without the distractions of the secular world. The catechist is not a teacher. The catechist is there as a facilitator helping the relationship of the child with God to grow deeper and wider. Christ is “The Teacher”. "If we want to help the child draw nearer to God, we should with patience and courage seek to go always closer to the vital nucleus of things. This requires study and prayer. The child will be our teacher if we know how to observe." -- Sofia CavallettiToday The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has grown and spread amazingly. There are Atriums on every continent in countries like Australia, Bolivia, China, France, Uganda, and the United States. In the United States, there are hundreds of atriums in Catholic and Episcopal settings, as well as several other Christian churches. Founded in Springfield in 1989, St. Raphael’s Atrium is non-denominational, although some specific liturgical doctrines of the Catholic Church are used. At the present time, there are three levels available: • Level I (ages 2 ˝ -6) meets on Thursday afternoons 4:00-5:30 The Catechesis is located in the Good Shepherd Room in St. Raphael Church basement. The Catechesis covers a broad area of instruction. It is used for adult prayer groups, elementary and high school faith formation students, sacrament preparation retreats and adult faith formation workshops.St. Raphael Catechists
Karen Reindl-Level 1
Shelley Olson-Level 1, 2 and 3
Sara Sorby -Level 1
Certified Catechists must attend 90 hours of training for each level and are registered with For more information contact:
Shelley Olson (507)723-6319 |
