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CGS in the Roman Catholic Tradition
From time to time, in the association’s national office, we are asked if the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is approved by certain Diocesan Offices or the Office for the Catechism. Sometimes the question is very simple: “Is it on the approved list?“
Other times we are asked if the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd matches a particular Catholic diocese’s guidelines or “scope and sequence” document.
Bishops, pastors, and religious educators ask, “Are the children learning what the church teaches?” “Are the catechists orthodox? Have they been prepared?” and “How can we get the parents to come to Sunday Mass and bring their children?”
The following documents can help to answer these and other questions:
- CGS and Conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church
- The Conformity of Catechetical Materials with the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Criteria and Applicability
- USCCB Office of the Catechism Letter on CGS (2002)
- CGS and Corresponding Church Documents (Level 1, 3-6 year old child)
- CGS and Corresponding Church Documents (Level 2, 6-9 year old child)
- CGS and Corresponding Church Documents (Level 3, 9-12 year old child)
- The Faith Formation of Children, Are We Asking the Right Questions?
- Foundations of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- CGS: Method Serving Content
- The Call and Formation of Catechists: Evangelizers with the Spirit – The Call and Formation of Catechists by Mary Mirrione
- “The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an amazing approach to a contemplative catechesis for children, as developed through the work of Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. “CGS” is more than a catechesis for children. I believe that it is one of the new renewal movements for the Church, given to us by the Lord… allowing us a new way to receive and experience the gifts of the Lord through a contemplative listening of the Word and an active participation in the Sacraments of His Presence.”
The Most Reverend David P. Talley, M.S.W., J.C.D.
Bishop of the Diocese of Memphis - The Most Reverend Michael Mulvey, Bishop of Corpus Christi
- The Most Reverend Thomas J.Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix
- Letters of Alignment from the Archdiocese of Seattle
- Letter of Endorsement from the Orthodox Diocese of Sitka and Alaska
- Letter of Approval from the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas
- Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
Every catechist should be able to apply to himself the mysterious words of Jesus: ‘My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me (John 7:16).’
Read the entire article below.
Characteristics of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd:
#30 The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd offers its services to the diocese and therefore works in communion with the bishop.
The 32 Points of Reflection represent the principal aspects of the catechesis as they have emerged after more than fifty years of work with children of different countries, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd featured on EWTN News In Depth
Office of Religious Education for the Diocese of Worcester, MA
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd by Fr. Giancarlo Pani, S.J.
CGSUSA is delighted to share a beautiful and important article on the foundations of CGS, written by Fr. Giancarlo Pani S.J. Fr. Giancarlo is the Deputy Director of Civiltà Cattolica and has served on the faculty of “La Sapienza”of the University of Rome. He first met Sofia Cavalletti in 1971, on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in which she served as guide. Father Giancarlo became a priest in 1974 and then, in 1976, began a collaboration with Sofia and Gianna at the atrium of Via delgi Orsini in Rome. In addition to celebrating Mass throughout the atrium year, he heard the confessions of the children and assisted with the retreats and celebrations of their First Communion. He was one of our keynote speakers at our International Retreat in 2014.