Children OF OUR
PARISH AND SCHOOL
Receive the Graces of First Holy Communion O
ver the past year, 43 children from both the parish and school have been eagerly preparing to receive their First Holy Communion. Although sacramental preparation has been different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parish has nonetheless worked hard along with parents to prepare their children for the next step in their faith journey. The parish school has continued to provide sacramental preparation for school students, as usual. For the parish Faith Formation program, some changes have needed to be implemented. In nonpandemic times, the parish uses the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method — or CGS — for faith formation, a catechetical program for children aged 3-12 based on the principles of Montessori education. “With CGS, the focal point is that the children encounter and have a relationship with a loving Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd,” says Elizabeth Lyons, Steward for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
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and Sacramental Preparation. “The foundation of CGS is Scripture and the Liturgy, and everything they do is oriented to those two things, so everything they learn automatically prepares them for the sacraments. It’s hands-on, and the children are really able to ponder, reflect and develop their own understanding of the faith. This way, they can internalize it and make it their own. “One of the things that makes CGS unique is the designated space for this ministry called the atrium,” she adds. “The spaces are quite extraordinary, and everything is at the child’s level. We have three levels of CGS and an atrium for each one. Level I is for the 3 to 5-year-old child, Level II is for the 6 to 9-year-old child, and Level III is for the 9 to 12-year-old child.” While the parish was still able to have CGS for a very small number of students, faith formation this year primarily took place virtually. “We used an online program called Signs of Grace, and parents would do that at home with their children,” Elizabeth says. “The focus is on things
