Calling all creators and craftspeople! SMOS is opening our own Level I Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium and we are working to make materials. See the details below to find out how you can help. All ages/skill levels are welcome!

SMOS is opening our own Level I atrium to begin teaching Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). Many of the materials are meant to be handmade so as to best serve the students in that particular atrium.

About CGS

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a religious education program that was begun by Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi in Rome in the 1950s. The philosophy of the program is based on the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, and there are many elements of the Montessori philosophy found in a CGS atrium. The approach has been developed and refined over the last 70 years, and is now used throughout the world to help bring children to Jesus. The goal of the program is to help children grow in their faith by engaging them in meaningful work that reflects their participation in the Mass and the life of the Church.

If you are interested in creating any of the materials below, please reach out to Gwen Heithaus (gcataldo@stmargaretstl.org) for more information.

Material: Tabernacle

Specifications:

• Must have a cross on the front
• Must have a lock and key
• Dimensions: flexible – approximately 1ft x 1ft

Material: Sacristy Cabinet

Specifications:

• Ideally has doors that can close, not required
• Shelves arranged as seen in the photos
• Dimensions: flexible – no shorter than 1 ft, no taller than 3 ft

Material: 2 Model Lecterns

*second picture shows sacristy cabinet and model lectern*

Specifications:

• Approximately 3 ft tall
• Should have a shelf that can hold a small book (ie, 6” x 4” book)
• Any color wood

Material: 4 Chasuble Stands

Specifications:

• Approximately 1.5 ft tall, must have a sturdy base

Material: 4 Model Chasubles

Specifications:

• Not felt
• Smaller than child sized, no more than 1.5 ft tall
• One in each liturgical color (purple, green, red, white)

Material: Liturgical Calendar

Specifications:

• Wooden 15” x 15” frame of a 13” wheel with 52 individual prisms
• Can be painted and labeled, does not need to be
• 1 white pointer and one white prism with a gold star (Christmas)
• 1 white pointer and one white prism with a gold cross (Easter)
• 1 red pointer and one red prism with an orange flame (Pentecost)
• 4 purple prisms for Advent
• 3 white prisms for Christmas season
• Six green prisms for Ordinary Time
• Six purple prisms for Lent
• Six white prisms for Easter season
• 24 green prisms for Ordinary Time

Material: Raised Surface Map of the Land of Israel

Specifications: click here and refer to pages 1-2

Material: 3D Model of Jerusalem

Specifications: click here