The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Level II
January 20, 2009 - Level 2, Issue 6 |
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| Dear CGS Level II Parent |
This week in Level II the children will work with maxims, which are words of Jesus that provide us with rules by which to live.
Please be aware of two invitations related to catechesis. Next Sunday, January 25th, St. Teresa's will hold a special mass at 9:00 AM celebrating our children and their spiritual growth. Please help your child feel honored in his or her role in our Church family and recognize your child's commitment to growing in relationship with God. Then, on Tuesday, January 27th, all mothers are invited to treat themselves to quiet time and the opportunity for their own spiritual growth. There's more information about this opportunity in an article below.
Also of special interest to Level II families will be to pray for Isabella Feliciano and her family. Isabella is a fellow Level II child, and she is very sick. Her family appreciates all our prayers. And soon you should see news on another way your family may want to support theirs - through cooking dinners. Keep your eyes open.
Did your family notice the change of liturgical season last Sunday? We are now in Ordinary Time. The color of the chasuble worn by the priest is green. Sometimes in Atrium we say, "green for growing." Ordinary Time is a time of growth in our relationship with God. We pray that the children will experience wonder and joy as they grow.
Happy Inauguration Day! Peace and joy,
The Level II catechist team:
Liza Bloomer, Kathy Murdock on Tuesdays
Jane Ott, Myrna Gomez on Wednesdays
Barb McHugh on Thursdays
and Lina Hilko (editor)
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| Maxims |
The maxims are words that Jesus said that are usually only a sentence or phrase. They are moral guides for our daily life. The maxims are held in a wooden box (a little bigger than a shoe box) and printed out on linen paper and glued to wooden slates. There are over a dozen of these "words to live by" or maxims, such as:
"Love your enemies." Matthew 5:44
"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another." John 13:34 The children will read the words of some of the maxims and will reflect upon and discuss their meaning. As with some moral parables, the maxims satisfy the children's moral curiosity at this age. As Sofia Cavalletti, the founder of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, states in The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old:
"Children of six years and older have a remarkable interest in rules. Theirs is not superficial or merely intellectual interest; rather, it is rooted in a deep psychological and existential need." The norms and rules are presented in the Atrium after the History of the Kingdom of God (Salvation History) is presented to the children. This order is very deliberate. Without the proclamation of God's Plan, these rules or maxims lose their context. Attaining the "big picture" will allow the children to understand that there are rules and maxims to follow in order to bring this history to fulfillment. Sophia again explains this eloquently in The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old:
"If moral exhortation were left to stand alone, if good behaviors were taught for their own sake, it would be like preparing robots who know and follow rules instead of persons who participate in God's plan for the fullness of life."
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Maxims and the Sacrament of Reconciliation |
Some of the Level II children will be celebrating their first Reconciliation this year. The maxims offer one foundation to support children in this preparation process. You may remember from the first e-newsletter back on November 4th that a central proclamation of Level II catechesis is the parable of the True Vine (John 15: 1-10), where Jesus encourages us to "remain in my love." As children prepare to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation, they may reflect on the maxims as some of the guides by which we can remain in Jesus' love.
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| Walk the Talk |
In the November 18th e-newsletter, we stated that a key goal of these newsletters is to help parents connect with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and support their child's spiritual growth. Since Level II is a transition zone between Level I and Level III, parents of a Level II child best support the child through a mix of hands-on activity (Level I-type involvement) and conversational wondering (Level III-type involvement). The section title "Walk the Talk" also reminds us that our children are always watching us - that our actions speak quite clearly to our children.
As a parent, it can be good to reflect on maxims and to honestly assess whether and how we follow them. Since we're human, we likely struggle with some maxims, while perhaps we find others quite obvious or easy to incorporate into daily life. Are our actions speaking clearly to our children? Are there areas we want to improve or strengthen?
For those who would like to reflect more on maxims, the set used in Level II is listed in the last article in this e-newsletter
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| Invitation to Mothers |
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St. Teresa's Mothers' Spiritual Reflection group is a group of mothers at various stages of motherhood who meet once a month (except summer) to reflect on God's word and to grow spiritually. Gatherings are open to any mother who wants to come. The January 27th and February 24th gatherings may be of particular interest to mothers of children in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The group will reflect on various parables of the Kingdom of Heaven which are presented to CGS children. This offers a great way for CGS moms to enjoy some quiet, reflective, personal spiritual time, while also growing more connected to their children's spiritual journey. All mothers are welcome on Tuesday, January 27th and/or Tuesday, February 24th from 7:30 to 9:00 PM at church.
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| List of Maxims |
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Love your enemies. Matthew 5:44
I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. John 13:34
Do good to those who hate you. Luke 6:27
When you pray, go into a room by yourself, shut the door and pray to your Father in private. Matthew 6:6
Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7
Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 6:19
You must be made perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48
Say, "Yes" when you mean "Yes," and "No" when you mean "No." Matthew 5:37
I do not say forgive seven times, but seventy times seven. Matthew 18:22
Always treat others the way you would have them treat you. Matthew 7:12
Give when you are asked to give, and do not turn your back on someone who wants to borrow. Matthew 5:42
Pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44b
And the Summary of the Law:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27
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Feel free to provide comments about this newsletter to Lina Hilko, the editor, at LHilko@aol.com and/or Sarah Coles, St. Teresa's Director of Religious Education, at SEColes@gmail.com. Thanks! |
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