The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Levels I and II 
October 23, 2014 - Levels 1 & 2
In This Issue
Time Travels
Celebrating Mass Together
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Please read the article at then end about special CGS family masses to be held during the last 45 minutes of Atrium on Monday, Nov. 17 or Tuesday, Nov 18, as well as St. Teresa's next Children's Participation Mass on Sunday, November 2 at 9AM.
Dear CGS Parent,   
The Good Shepherd

One of the most important ways we grow in relationship with God is through the celebration of mass. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd uses a variety of presentations to help children connect to the mass:

  • Articles of the Mass - These are presentations of the physical items used in the mass, and a direct aim is to provide the child with vocabulary. This is appealing to the child who is so often asking, "What's this?!"
  • Gestures of the Mass - These are motions with meaning. Young children who are still developing vocabulary and language can often access deeper meaning from simple gestures than from lots of words.
  • Liturgical Time - These are presentations that orient the child to the liturgical seasons which, through their structure, help us live through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ.

October's Catechesis presentations for Level I and Level II are ones that help children connect to the mass. This newsletter provides some insight into CGS presentations related to time and place. Future newsletters will focus on gestures and/or articles.

 

Peace,

  Lina Hilko (editor)
Time Travels

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based program that was developed over the course of 50+ years through observing and working with children ages 3 to 12. The presentations that exist today are the ones that the children themselves found most engaging, appealing, and essential. So naturally, presentations in each Level of Atrium correspond to the developmental interests and needs of the children in that Level.

 

A child's understanding of time and place unfolds slowly, ever deepening. Interestingly, the 3-6 year old children haven't yet developed a good understanding of time. For example, the past is generally captured by the simple concept of "yesterday," and the future by "tomorrow." And even these concepts get confused. So, why would Level I presentations relate to time and place?

One strong reason is to plant a seed that will slowly grow, breaking ground in Level II and blossoming in Level III. In this seed is the knowledge that Jesus is a real person that lived in a real time and in a real place. This is a very important foundation to the child's appreciation of the gift of the Incarnation -- Heaven and Earth united through Jesus Christ, true human and true God.

 

Additionally, presentations related to liturgical time help to introduce the child to the concept that the mass is structured and, like nature, follows a predictable path containing seasons and events.

 

In Level I, we begin exploring time through a presentation called The Chasubles (the outermost liturgical vestment worn by clergy for the celebration of the mass). Through this presentation, we introduce the children to the liturgical colors and their relationship to the liturgical seasons.

  • White is for celebration. The priest uses white when we celebrate our two great feasts: Easter and Christmas.
  • Purple is for preparation. Before each of our great feasts, there is a time during which we prepare for these important celebrations. Lent is the period of preparation before Easter. Advent is the period of preparation before Christmas.
  • Red is used at Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. Pentecost celebrates the gifts of the Holy Spirit and is the birthday of the church. (Red is used at other solemn occasions, but these aren't specifically raised up to the children.)
  • Green is for growing. The weeks of the year that aren't devoted to the specific times of preparation, celebration, and solemnity are special times for growing in relationship with Jesus and in knowledge.

Older Level I children will be introduced to the Liturgical Calendar, a circular wooden puzzle which coordinates with the liturgical colors introduced through The Chasubles. Through continued working with the Liturgical Calendar, the Level II children begin to understand that life in the Church revolves around life in Christ. Jesus was a real person living in a real place over 2000 years ago. And he is alive and present today in a particular way in our celebration of the Liturgy. 

 

He was born.

We celebrate his birth and childhood during the Christmas season, spanning 2 or 3 Sundays. 


He died and rose.

We celebrate his rising from the dead during the Easter season, spanning 7 Sundays. 


He gave his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit so they could continue Jesus' work and spread the Gospel to people around the world and across time.

On Pentecost, we celebrate the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are given to all of us.

On Pentecost, we also celebrate the birthday of the Church.

Even though Jesus lived on Earth over 2000 years ago, our liturgy celebrates his life each and every Liturgical Year. Jesus is present - is alive - today and yesterday and tomorrow. 

 

Celebrating Mass Together

One of the most important ways we grow in relationship with God is through the celebration of mass. So, at least once a year, we seek to organize opportunities for families (children and parents) in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to come together as a small, intimate community to celebrate mass. Because of its intimacy, this mass helps children (and parents!) really notice the articles, gestures, vestments, and colors to which they have been introduced in the Atrium.

 

This year, we will hold our intimate family masses during the last 45 minutes of our Atrium sessions on Monday, November 17th and Tuesday, November 18th. (Sunday families are welcome to come to one of these masses if they would like. Otherwise, of course regular Sunday Atrium will still be held on Sunday, November 16th, even though it doesn't include a mass during Atrium.)

 

In addition, every month St. Teresa's holds a special "Children's Participation Mass" at the 9AM Sunday mass. This gives all families a chance to worship together in an especially inclusive way at St. Teresa's. The next Children's Participation Mass is on Sunday, November 2nd at 9:00AM.

 

Please mark these dates in your calendars.
 
Please provide comments about this newsletter to Lina Hilko, the editor, at LHilko@aol.com, and/or Kate Lynch, St. Teresa's Director of Religious Education, at kolynchdre@gmail.com.