You are invited to participate in our
Level 2 Formation Course starting summer 2024
CGS is a religious education experience that starts with the heart.
CGS is more than a religious education program… it’s experiential religious education based on nurturing the child’s relationship with God.
About Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- hands on faith formation
- based on the Montessori method
- centered on knowing Jesus
- builds the child’s relationship with God
- uses specialized materials for experiencing scripture and liturgy
- classes for ages 3-12
- multi-age classes in 3 levels
CGS takes place in a specially prepared environment called the “atrium.” This is the child’s sacred space in which they come to know Jesus through their hands on work with specialized materials.
It is transformative to both the adult and the child.
The BEST catechetical and formation path for our children…CGS!”
Bishop David Prescott Talley, serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Memphis
Price for Level 2 Training: $600
Please do not let the course cost deter you from registering! Payment plans are available. Please contact Deb Pelletier at [email protected] to discuss payment concerns. *SPSA parishioners, please contact Deb for pricing information.
See CGS in action…
You are invited to become a part of CGS
by joining our upcoming adult faith formation course.
St. Patrick – St. Anthony Church in Hartford, CT is hosting a CGS Level 2 Formation Course for adults. Upon completion of this Nationally Recognized course, participants will receive their Catechist Certificate from the National Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for working with children ages 6-9 (Level 2).
Questions? Contact Deb Pelletier, Formation Leader
and Coordinator of Religious Education at SPSA
More about the Level 2 Formation Course
This is a Level 2 course in preparation for working with 6 – 9 year-old children. Level 2 is a continuation of the foundational training and work in Level I, and provides a foundation to continue this work in Level III (9 -12 year-olds).
This course will prepare catechists to:
- Present the methodology and guiding principles of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
- Explore the general developmental characteristics, religious nature, and the religious needs of the 6 – 9 year old child.
- Meditate on Biblical and liturgical themes and presentations presented to the 6 – 9 year-old child.
- Offer guidelines and assistance in creating a 6 – 9 atrium, preparing the catechist’s album, and materials making.
- Broaden one’s ability to observe and learn from children, to listen with children to Scripture, and to deepen one’s enjoyment of God’s presence.
Give yourself the gift of time…
to nurture your relationship with God and build your community of faith.
Participants who have entered the training experience for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd have shared that it was like an ongoing retreat, time for them to step out of the busy-ness of their daily lives. Read one of our catechist’s reflection on her experience.
The CGS Formation course was an unexpected gift in my life. When I signed up to take the course, I thought it would help me teach my children, but it ended up also being a retreat for me and drew me closer to God. It has been the most transformative experience of my life, and has been the thing that has deeply nurtured my faith and was the catalyst for my growth in ways I never could have imagined.”
Sarah Christopher, 2012 Level 1 Course Participant
Course Schedule & Information
This course will take place at
St. Patrick – St. Anthony Church in Hartford, CT
2024 Dates:
The course will start for 5 full days, June 10-14, 2024 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
The remaining days will be one Saturday per month (dates to be determined and posted soon) throughout the 2024-25 school year to complete the full 100 hours of training.
Throughout the course, there will be opportunities for community building through shared meals, time for learning, and there will always be space for prayer.
Register now for Level 2 Course
Price for Level 2 Training: $600
Please do not let the course cost deter you from registering! Payment plans are available. Please contact Deb Pelletier at [email protected] to discuss payment concerns.
*SPSA parishioners, please contact Deb for pricing information.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I take this course, am I required to teach in the atrium?
There is no requirement to teach in our CGS program after taking this course.
However, often, people discover they have gifts they are being called to share, and after taking the course, they look for ways to get involved with CGS or other ministries.
I don’t have any background studying theology, can I still take the course?
Yes! Most people who take the course do not have a background in theology. You will find that what we learn in the course are the most essential truths of our faith.
Those who were raised in the church and those who were not raised with a solid faith tradition all benefit from the knowledge and growth from the formation course.
I was raised in the church, do I need to take this training in order to teach?
CGS Formation training has a deep basis in theology, scripture, the Montessori method, and child development.
Even course participants who were catechized well as a child can grow from the course experience.
Where can I learn more about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
CGS is an international method of listening to God with children, and nurturing their religious potential from a young age. Catechists all over the world have had their faith ignited and are transformed by their work with this method.
You can learn more about it at the United States Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd website at cgsusa.org.
I am only interested in working with children older than 3-6, can I start training with Level 2?
CGS Formation training for Level 2 (1st – 3rd grade) and Level 3 (4th – 6th grade) has its foundation in the Level 1 training for ages 3-6. Therefore, each participant in a Level 2 course must have completed a Level 1 Course.
Questions? Contact Deb Pelletier, Formation Leader
and Coordinator of Religious Education at SPSA
Register now for Level 2 Course
Price for Level 2 Training: $600
Please do not let the course cost deter you from registering! Payment plans are available. Please contact Deb Pelletier at [email protected] to discuss payment concerns.
*SPSA parishioners, please contact Deb for pricing information.
Meet your Formation Team
Deb Pelletier
Formation Leader
Deb has been involved with religious education for over twenty five years and is currently coordinator of the religious education team and of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. She is a nationally recognized formation leader for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, and helped introduce the program to the parish.
Sarah Christopher
Formation Leader
Sarah began her work at SPSA when she joined the Religious Education Team in 2016 and has worked alongside children in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) and in preparing for their sacraments since 2012. Sarah is trained in all three levels of CGS. Sarah also serves as the Elementary CGS catechist at Enfield Montessori School. She is a nationally recognized formation leader for Level 1 CGS.
