“This is Jesus”
A tiny hand grasps and raises a small crucifix taken from the altar. “This is Jesus. He died to save us.” This quiet revelation is whispered by a four-year old as he tenderly polishes the crucifix and chalice found on the miniature altar before him. The child is doused in an atmosphere of prayerful silence where time is spent gazing at the liturgical articles he cleans and pondering their meaning.
What is CGS?
For the past 12 years, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) has been conducting sessions in the Atrium, at level 2 of SVDP. CGS is committed to providing a rich sensorial experience of scripture and liturgy for children through engagement with meditative aids in the Atrium. In the Atrium, the child enters a space of community prayer and worship. It is a place for personal retreat where the Beloved encounters the infinite love of the Good Shepherd.
“CGS truly provided me with a wonderful foundation for my Catholic faith through the numerous works that were available. Each work engaged me as a child and helped me understand the Bible passages better than if they were just read to me.” – Sara Cher, 17
The engagement
As the child engages with the meditative aids, such as moving the figures of the Good shepherd and the sheep, or pouring wine into a chalice, he/she gradually begins to enter deeply into scripture, the liturgy of the Mass, and the life of Jesus.
The approach
Aligned closely with the Montessori approach, children are taught the beauty of order and routine as they master their individual tasks in the Atrium. These simple and ordinary tasks are offered as prayer. This practice and repetition cultivates virtues like patience and discipline, the tools needed for a strong and healthy prayer life.
The support
Interested parents will attend a “Silent Journey,” their beginning step as enquirers. Here they will understand the philosophy and the pedagogy of CGS and how it helps to build and strengthen the foundation of their child’s faith life. They will learn how else they can best support their child as he/she moves through the CGS programme.
The levels
With the Internet spreading linke wildfire and reaching every part of our daily life, more and more traffic is directed to websites in search for information.
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LEVEL 1
Level 1: available in our church, for ages 3-6
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LEVEL 2
Level 2: (ages 6-9) is only available to the child upon completion of Level 1
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LEVEL 3
Level 3: (10-12) is only available to the child upon completion of Level 1 and Level 2
Interested?
If you are interested in the CGS programme for your child, please contact Teresa Ong at +65 9689 3933 for more details!