MAPS Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Concentration

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children from ages 3 to 12 years. It seeks to create and facilitate a sacred, "hands-on" space called an atrium, in which both the children and the catechists can hear, ponder, and celebrate the most essential mysteries of the Christian faith as revealed in the Scripture and the Liturgy. Originally developed in Rome, by Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi over 50 years ago, the Catechesis continues to spread worldwide and is used with adaptation in various Christian traditions.

The concentration in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, initiated in 2005, is the first degree of its kind in the world. In accord with the Characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd #24, the degree is designed to help catechists deepen their knowledge and understanding of scripture and liturgy as well as heighten their professional development as ministers in the Church.

Like other MAPS degrees offered by Aquinas Institute of Theology, the concentration in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a 48-credit-hour program, complemented by four units of spiritual formation. Thirty of the required hours are completed at Aquinas Institute - either in our regular on-campus courses or in our distinctive internet-enhanced format designed especially to serve the needs of students outside the St. Louis area. Eighteen of the required hours are completed in the three levels of formation offered by the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (NACGS). The three Catechesis formation courses may be taken anywhere in the world provided they meet the standards of Aquinas Institute and the NACGS (described below).

Why would a catechist of the Good Shepherd want to get a master's degree?
The main intent of this degree is to respond to the invitation of Characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd charter that encourages catechists to seek to deepen their understanding of scripture and liturgy through further study. As one experienced catechist noted, "It helps to stay a couple of steps ahead of the nine to 12-year-old child!"

Other valuable reasons for pursuing a master's degree are

to deepen one's spiritual life
to strengthen one's skill and capacity to serve as a minister in the Church
to heighten one's capacity for conversing with ecclesial leaders about the Catechesis
to be able to command a more livable wage as a minister
to help meet professional standards for on-going education and development
to assist persons to meet the educational standards required to be able to teach in accredited institutions of higher education or dioceses

Does getting a MAPS-CGS degree qualify me to serve as a formation leader?
No, the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will remain the body to recognize formation leaders in the United States and it will not be necessary to have a master's degree in order to be a formation leader. However, many formation leaders might find it a very valuable opportunity to strengthen their ministry as formation leaders, and, having a master's degree may open up opportunities for formation leaders to be able to offer B.A., MA, or diocesan certification credit for courses that they offer when they are affiliated with a local college, university, or diocese.

Would the formation courses that I've already taken count?
Yes, in most cases they could, provided that the courses met for the 90-100 hours that are expected by the National Association. In these cases, the student would need to meet with the MAPS-CGS program director at Aquinas Institute and arrange to have her/his personal albums read and evaluated by a currently recognized formation leader who holds a master's degree in theology or ministry. Aquinas Institute has a list of potential readers that will be made available to students who have completed previous CGS formation work. Students will be asked to pay a standard fee to Aquinas Institute in these situations to help cover a stipend to the reader and administrative costs.

More details on the MAPS-CGS are available and may be printed out for future reference.

Once the student matriculates in the Aquinas program, all formation courses that the student takes from that point on need to meet the graduate standards described below.

Standards for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Formation Coursework at a Graduate Level
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd formation courses are offered internationally in a variety of formats in a diversity of settings. In order to receive graduate credit for a formation course, the following requirements must be met:

The structure of the course conforms to the standards of the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (90-100 instructional hours plus 40 hours of observation in Montessori or atrium environment)
At least one member of the formation team leading the course is recognized by the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
At least one member of the formation team leading the course holds a master's degree in theology, ministry or education
The student completes a first draft of a personal album (in contrast to a group album)

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Course Requirements
Course Title	Credit Hours
Integrative Studies
Proseminar	1-3
Biblical Studies
Bible Interpretation	3
Old Testament Elective	2-4
New Testament Elective	4
Systematic Theology
Introduction to Theology and Theological Method	3
Moral Theology
Foundations of Catholic Morality	3
Liturgical Theology
Theology of Worship	3
Christian Initiation	3
Eucharist	3
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Formation
Level 1 (3-6)	6
Level 2 (6-9)	6
Level 3 (9-12)	6
Professional Ministerial Formation
Supervised Practice of Ministry I	3
Spiritual Formation
Lay Formation I-IV (lay students only)	-