Catechesis 3 to 6

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for the Young Child

*Portions of this text have been reprinted with permission from "The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd," published by the National Center for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. More complete information on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd may be found at www.cgsusa.org.

Children from 3 to 6 years of age have demonstrated a particular sensitivity to the following points: Jesus Christ as the “Good Shepherd” who protects His sheep and calls them each by name; Eucharist as the greatest gift of the love of the Father; Jesus Christ as the “light of the world” and Baptism as the act with which this light is given.

The Catechesis provides close links to scripture and liturgy –with a special emphasis on scripture. Sofia Cavalletti , one of the founders of the Catechesis, believes that we learn to recognize God through the Bible, particularly through those events that constitute the basis of Christianity: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Materials on the life of Christ and his teachings help make the mystery of God concrete for the child. The geography materials establish Jesus as a real person in time and space and Israel as the land through which God realized salvation for all. Infancy narratives announce the Incarnation with the words of Scripture, moving from the Annunciation, to the Birth of Christ, to the Flight into Egypt. The models of Jerusalem and of the empty tomb are the starting points for the Paschal narratives and the child’s celebration of the Easter mystery.

Selected parables serve as keys to unlock the mystery of the kingdom of God and to nurture the child’s natural sense of wonder. The 3-6 year old child enters the mystery of the Mass through the most important gestures including the preparation of the chalice, the epiclesis and offering, and the gesture of peace. From these gestures the Mass emerges as the Sacrament of the Gift. The child becomes acquainted with the historical character of the liturgy through the events of the Last Supper, Christ’s death, and His resurrection.

Materials that embody the liturgical colors and calendar situate the child in the church year. A prayer corner also reflects the liturgical cycle with appropriate colors, prayers, songs, banners, and readings to enhance the rituals and celebrations of the seasons.