Welcome to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Ireland

Welcome to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, an approach to the religious formation of children both spiritually and educationally for ages 3-12 years. It is grounded in Sacred Scripture, the Liturgy of the Church and the spiritual and educational principles of Dr Maria Montessori, the great Italian educator. It respects the relationship between God and the child and nourishes that relationship. Using concrete materials (such as 3D figures for the Infancy Narratives) the children are introduced to a biblical text or a liturgical moment. The essential truths are given in the catechesis for young children and then revised and expanded upon with the older children. In serving the relationship between the children and God, the catechist’s attitude must be humble, respectful, and observant.

The catechist plans the curriculum to coincide with the Liturgical Year, prepares the materials, maintains the environment in which the children work, and prepares herself to be with the children by her prayer and meditation preceding a session. During a session she presents material and spends an appropriate amount of time helping the children to enter into their reflections on the presentation.