National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGSUSA) Information

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is centered on nurturing the 3-to-12-year old child's relationship with God. Over the span of 50-plus years of careful and loving observation and experimentation, first by the work's founders, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi in Rome, Italy, and then slowly by trained catechists around the globe, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has become an respected voice on the spiritual life of children. Almost 20 years ago, catechists in the United States recognized the need for an association that could assist catechists, parents, and others in the Church and beyond in their understanding of the religious potential of the child. They already shared a vision: a world where the religious life of the child was honored. It was not surprising that the first stated aim of the association was: “To involve adults and children in a religious experience in which the religious values of the child are predominant, keeping in mind that the contemplative nature of the child indicates to the adult a certain way of drawing near to God.” Thus was formed the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the USA. Since then,CGSUSA has developed 74 publishcation and offered hundrends of formation courses for catechists. CGSUSA currently counts approximately1600 catechists and friends as members. Today, there are over 1025 atria operating in this country, serving thousands of children in parishes, homes and schools.