Catechesis of the Good Shepherd levels I and II is a program for children in PreK – 3rd grade (ages 3-9). If your child attends St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School, you do not need to register.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a valid catechetical way for the religious formation of children which has official recognition in Rome. It is rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the Church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. It is also promoted by Bishop Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing. The spiritual lessons presented to children support the joy, awe, wonder, and peacefulness of knowing God. Children are exposed to meditation, mystery, and transcendence, because in the atrium, the Holy Spirit is the teacher.

CGS Level I: PreK – Kindergarten (3-6-Year-Olds): Room 150

At this level, children grow closer to God by reading the parables of Jesus and the infancy narratives that tell of his birth, and through learning about the liturgy of the Church.

CGS Level I is offered on Sundays from 9:15-11:15 a.m. or Tuesdays from 8:30-10:15 a.m.

Contact Kate Bockbrader: kbockbrader@sta2.org

CGS Level II: First – Third Grade (7-9-Year-Olds): Room 251

First Communion Mass: Saturday, May 3, 2025, 10:30 a.m.

This is a two-year program. Children receive First Holy Communion in the first year of CGS Level II, followed by a second year of ongoing post-sacramental catechesis.

At the start of Level II, the child begins preparation for First Holy Communion by delving deeper into Scripture and the liturgy of the Catholic Church. During the second year of CGS Level II, families receive a catechetical text to help them with faith formation as a domestic church in the home.

CGS Level II is offered on Sundays from 9:15-11:15 a.m. and Tuesdays from 8:30-10:15 a.m. 

All children receiving First Holy Communion in the spring of 2025 will also attend five evening classes with their families plus some special events.

Contact Caty Sumerton: csumerton@gmail.com

CGS Level III

CGS Level III is currently in development and will be coming to our parish soon!

For general religious education inquiries, contact Alexander Wallo, Director of Faith Formation, at awallo@sta2.org.