Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based program started by Sofia Cavalletti and her collaborator, Gianna Gobbi, in Rome in the 50s. It focuses on a child-centric and tactile approach to catechesis and has been wildly successful, now being implemented in 37 countries. The National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was founded in Washington D.C. in 1983, and Christ the King added the program in 1999, yielding impressive results. Children become immersed in liturgical, biblical, and salvation history themes by interacting with different stimuli in the atrium environment.
Christ the King currently offers CGS for two different age groups. Level I (The Good Shepherd Atrium) is for children from 3 years (who are potty-trained) to kindergarten and is offered on Sundays from 10:45am-12:15pm, Wednesdays from 4:15-5:45pm. Level II (The True Vine Atrium) is offered for children from 1st to 3rd grade. Classes are offered Wednesdays from 4:15-5:45pm. All classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Orientation meetings are offered at the beginning of each school year so that parents can get to know the catechists and become familiar with this rich educational approach.