"The most important thing that happens in the atrium (or in our lives, for that matter) is that, together with children, we grow in our knowledge of Jesus, the Christ, the Good Shepherd, and in His love for us, and that we grow always more capable of responding to that love."

-Sofia Cavalletti

Nido-Toddler Catechesis is an exploration of the very youngest child’s spirituality, springing from the discovery of the child’s nature and religious potential revealed by the children to the adults who have taken the time to listen and observe the child in God’s light. When Biblical scholar Sofia Cavalletti was asked what her hopes were for the future of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, she responded, “…that it would go younger and younger…” She said this out of a long process of observation of the children.

The nido-toddler atrium supports parents in their role as their child's first teacher and provides what the young child needs spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. It's primary purpose is to provide families with infants a place to explore while their toddler is in our Atrium. Young children have “sensitivities” that guide and influence their development and learning: order, movement, and language. They thrive on routine and order which help the child discover and make sense of the world. The toddler atrium is simple and beautiful to allow children to know what to expect and where to find what they want. Materials are designed to help the child develop cognitive and motor skills, independence, and self-reliance, but most importantly it attends to their spiritual growth through the materials used and at our prayer table, which provides a place for scripture presentations, sacred gestures, songs, and prayer.
Thursdays, 10:00 - 11:30 AM

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Nido-Toddler Atrium

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd speaks to the child’s growing relationship with Christ as well as their changing developmental needs. Young children are particularly drawn to the image of Jesus as Good Shepherd. They respond to the intimate love and care of the Good Shepherd who “calls his sheep by name” and who died and rose again out of love. The young child is, by nature, sensorial and connects well to learning using hands-on materials to learn about the Mass, Jesus' early life, Parables of the Kingdom, the geography of Israel, and the liturgical year.

Our atrium maintains a quiet, contemplative atmosphere for the children to conduct their prayer work, and provides the children with places for individual work, as well as places for prayer and reflection. It is a place of peace and joy.

Our Level I Atrium for children 3 - 6 years is joyfully anticipating a new session in  September 2024, with limited openings.  It will continue to be housed in Father Duff Hall below St. John the Evangelist Church. Families can register for either the Sunday or the Thursday session.
Sundays, 9:30 - 11:15 AM from September 9th - June 8th.
Mondays, 10:00 - 11:30 AM from September 10th - June 9th.
Fridays, 10:00  - 11:30 AM from September 13th - June 13th.

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Level I - SUNDAY
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Level I - MONDAY
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Level I - FRIDAY
 

Prayer work in the 3-6 Atrium are designed to help the child to fall in love with God, to enjoy “being” in relationship with God.  They invite the child into wonder and into the mystery of God and His love for them.
 
In the 6-9 Atrium the focus changes.  The child is invited to respond in a new way.  The opportunities to continue to enjoy God’s presence remain, but now the child is invited to consider responding to God’s call, to begin to understand that God is inviting him or her to make a response to help Him in the building of His kingdom.

In a moral-sensitive period, these children want to make sense of the world around them and discover their place in it.  Having fallen in love with the Good Shepherd, they naturally want to follow the guidelines and advice of the One who loves them so much.  We want to fire the children's hearts with a vision of the world as God desires it to be.  We do this by using the Greatest Commandment and the Maxims and ask the question “How different would our world be if all humankind lived by these ideals?” What choices can we make to live in accord with God’s plan, and how does God reach out to us and help us when we fail?

The central theme for Level II children is the True Vine.  The children continue to be invited to enjoy God’s presence, to remain in the Vine, to experience the sap of the Holy Spirit flowing through them.  They are also invited to bear fruit, to respond to this God of love with the offering of their lives as part of the Vine.  The children will go deeper into the study of the Scriptures, looking at the Moral Parables and Parables of Mercy.  They study more fully the Mass and the many prayers that make up this one prayer of the Church.

Prayer work on the History of the Kingdom of God initiates the child into an understanding of God’s plan from the beginning of time.  As they look at this history, they realize that we are part of this history.  God’s plan begins with the great act of Creation, reaches its climax at the moment of Redemption and stretches forward to the moment of its fulfilment at Parousia when Christ will come again and God will be all in all.  In this history, there are pages yet to be written.  These pages are the blank pages of our tomorrows.  How will we write on them?  What choices will we make that will help to spread the Light of God’s love to all humankind?

Our Level II Atrium serves children 6 - 9 years and is housed in Father Duff Hall. The program meets on
Mondays, 6:00 - 7:30 PM from September 10th - June 9th.

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Level II