Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
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"Let the children come to Me, and do not prevent them;
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."— Matthew, 19:14
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Catechesis for Ages 3 to 12Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a Montessori-based program, for 3- to 12-year-olds, developed to help children understand their faith and have a personal relationship with Jesus the Good Shepherd.
Sessions Begin
The start date for 2025-26 is the week of Sunday, September 21, 2025. Registration is now open.
Location
Our session location is:Saint John the Baptist Pastoral Center
1501 Virginia Avenue
Monaca, PA 15061Do you wish to register your child(ren)?
You can register your child(ren) by completing an online registration form (see below). When filling out the form, please be certain to select the correct level. [Level 1 for ages 3 (by September 1st) to 6 (up to kindergarten); Level 2, ages 6 to 9; Level 3, ages 9 to 12]. Once completed, please submit the form and make payment.
Registration Requirements:Completed registration form, providing the following information: family name, name of child, enrollment level [Level 1, ages 3 (by September 1st) to 6 (up to kindergarten); Level 2, ages 6 to 9; Level 3, ages 9 to 12], if the child was baptized (a copy of baptismal certificate required if not in our parish), contact information (address, preferred phone number), emergency contact information, and session choice.
Your child needs to be fully potty trained. If the child is not fully potty trained, the child's parent/legal guardian or grandparent needs to be present.
All health-related protocols as required by the Diocese need to be followed.
Session Day/Time Schedule- Tuesdays, Level 1 — 2:00PM to 3:30PM
- Tuesdays, Level 2 — 2:00PM to 3:30PM
- Tuesdays, Level 1 — 4:00PM to 5:30PM
- Tuesdays, Level 2 — 4:00PM to 5:30PM
- Wednesdays, Level 3 — 4:00PM to 5:30PM
Session Limits
These will be determined based on facility logistics/capacity.
If you have any questions concerning registration or the program, you are welcome to contact me using the contact information listed below.
Sincerely,
Nicole Albanese, Director of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Phone: 724.318.5750
eMail: [email protected]
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An Introduction to
'Catechesis of the Good Shepherd' (CGS)What is an 'atrium'? Why is it not called a 'classroom'?
The Good Shepherd environment is called an 'atrium' because in ancient church tradition the catechumenate would meet in the atrium of the church. The atrium is a special room prepared with beautiful, hand-crafted, child-size materials. The room is specially prepared for Level 1 (ages 3 to 5) and Level 2 (ages 6 to 9) children.
What do children do in the atrium?
The children fall in love with Jesus the Good Shepherd in the atrium. The experience in the atrium is the foundation of a lifelong relationship with Jesus, our Good Shepherd. This helps to spread and widen our community within the Church.
Children live the central mysteries of our Faith by working with and reflecting upon materials that revolve around the life of Christ, the altar, the Eucharist, geography, liturgical colors; the gospels of the birth, passion and resurrection of Jesus; Advent prophecies, the parable of the Good Shepherd, the 'kingdom' parables, and baptism.
The core elements of the Faith are presented to the children, which will be built upon in upcoming years. The time spent with the child-sized materials allows the child to meditate and pray on the concepts present. -
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CGS Volunteers
If you wish to become involved in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as a helper/aide, please contact Nicole Albanese at [email protected] by email.
Compliance with Diocesan requirements obligates everyone who volunteers for a parish activity to complete the Parish Volunteer clearance process for Mary, Queen of Saints Parish. This can be completed online. Please click the link below for more information.
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To Register Your Child(ren)
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The fee schedule for the 2025-26 CGS Program is as follows:
- One child is $45
- Two children are $40 each
- Three children or more are $35 each
Payment is to be submitted for CGS registration through the online registration form via e-check or credit card only.♦To begin the registration/payment processfor 2025-26,please complete the online2025-26 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Registration Form.To start,CLICK HERE
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Please enroll your child(ren) ASAP.
The 2025-26 CGS registration deadline
is July 1, 2025♦
Please note that prepaymentfor CGS Registration is required.♦
If you have any questions concerning registration,
you can contact Nicole Albanese,
Director of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd,
by calling 724.318.5750 or by emailing
[email protected].
♦The start date ofCatechesis of the Good Shepherd for 2025-26
is the week of Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Please check back or watch the parish bulletin
for future announcements.
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Documents & Forms
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