This week in the atrium

by Geralyn Ward

Prayer table time

The following comments I received this week from parents/grand-parents confirm that the celebrative character of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is more like going to Mass than to school.  

“Every day our daughter asks if she can go to church!”  She can’t wait for her next CGS class.”

“Our boys are always singing the songs they have learned in their atriums. They love CGS!”  

“My grand-daughter (3 yr old) has been very attentive at Mass since she started CGS.  She keeps her eyes on what Father is doing.  I just know it’s because of what she is learning in her atrium.”

At the end of each atrium session we gather around the prayer table.  We ask the children if there is anything they would like to say.  As one little boy looked around our atrium in awe,  he asked, “Is this all ours forever and ever?”  Then with a deep sigh he said, “Wow!”

By Amy Valentine

We began today with a song that included the children’s names. How joyous they get when you call them by name, just like the Good Shepherd does. We visited the Adoration Chapel today before entering the Atrium.  Blessing ourselves with holy water and then walking up to the altar (with Monstrance) and beautiful tabernacle. They genuflected and did the sign of the cross in front of the altar, and then blessed themselves with holy water. I hope we will come back to this special place often.

There was a calming peace in the room today as the children chose their work. 

Raised surface map of Israel
The children learn the 3 principal cities of Jesus' life: Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem

Some of the children were presented with a beautiful raised surface map (topographical map) made by some of the catechists. They were shown three cities: Nazareth (where the angel came to Mary), Bethlehem (where the star appeared in the sky when Jesus was born), and Jerusalem (the city where Jesus died and rose again). Other children chose new practical life works.  We are realizing how important these works are for the control of their movements, care of the environment, and taking small steps in preparation for harder works. We ended our time together with another song that included their names-smiles and grins all around.