Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Create Space for God

In the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), we create a space and time for children aged 3 – 12 to be with God. The space, which we call the Atrium, is a place where every detail, from the handmade catechetical materials to the presentations and celebrations, aims to lead children to prayer, to a deeper understanding of the Sacraments and Scripture, to fuller participation in the life of the Church, and to a hope born of sure knowledge of God’s plan and their place in that plan.

Children come to the Atrium for approximately two to three hours each week and are guided in their work by catechists extensively trained in the catechetical approach of CGS, in the way that the mysteries of our faith connect to a child’s developmental needs and capacities, and in the Montessori-based educational principles that underlie the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

There are three distinct atrium environments:

Level I for 3-6 year old children

Level II for 6-9 year old children

Level III for 9-12 year old children

There is also a developing CGS program for toddlers.

Our Mission

In the Archdiocese of Toronto, we believe that faith development is essential for all ages. The mission of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Office for the Archdiocese of Toronto is to promote, support, and nurture the religious formation of both children and adults. We offer formation courses for Levels I, II, and III catechists. We support parishes that are interested in developing a CGS program. We offer ongoing formation opportunities for catechists. We work with schools and school boards that are interested in implementing the CGS approach to religious formation. We support the work of the CGS Association of Canada.