I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the
clever and revealing them to mere children. (Matthew 11:25)

Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven…(Matthew 18:3)

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was developed in Rome, beginning in 1954. It has spread to six continents and over forty countries. It was planted in Memphis in the early 1990s and is established in Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Orthodox settings here in West Tennessee. 

It is focused on how the mystery of the child meets the mystery of God. Honoring Montessori’s findings of universal characteristics and needs of children in the different developmental periods, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd seeks to nourish the child’s religious needs and capacities with selected biblical and liturgical presentations in a carefully prepared environment called the “atrium.”

The atrium is a place of prayer where, beyond the presentations, ample time is given for the children’s personal work with catechetical materials and communal prayer.

Such an important ministry calls for the formation of the adult. Accordingly, the Good Shepherd Center offers various workshops (for parents and atrium assistants) and Catechist Formation Courses.