Youth Faith Formation

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Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is Saint Cecilia’s Montessori-based Faith Formation program for preschool children (age 3) up through First Grade. Children and catechists meet during the 9:30am Mass. Classes begin in October and end on Pentecost Sunday. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program operates on a belief that the very young child has been in a relationship with God since birth. Therefore, the work of the catechist is to simply support that relationship as it grows. 

We follow a Whole Community Wednesday (WCW) model, which offers inter-generational formation activities for all members of our parish. We gather one Wednesday a month from October to May. We begin the session with prayer and a shared meal then follow with a large group activity. This may include discussion about a relevant topic, a service project, or a community building activity. For sacramental preparation information, please visit our Sacraments page.

Liturgy of the Word is offered during the second and fourth Sundays of the month from October to May. Students are dismissed just prior to the Liturgy of the Word and return for communion.  We read the same scriptures as the adults but from a children’s lectionary. The children express their thoughts and ideas with the simple promptings, “What did you hear God telling us today?” All children attending Mass are welcome to join us.