Aquinas Children's Worship Partnership (ACWP)

Mission:

The Aquinas Children's Worship Partnership strengthens liturgical ministry with children by deepening theological formation for CGS catechists, amplifying children's voices in scholarship, and establishing Aquinas Institute as a national center for dialogue on children's liturgical participation, equipping ministers to foster the full, conscious, active participation of children in congregations nationwide.

The Aquinas Children's Worship Partnership (ACWP) is a program made possible by a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., through its Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. According to Lilly, " The aim of the initiative is to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate and prayer practices."  Aquinas is partnering with the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGSUSA), a rapidly growing international organization with more than 40 years of experience, to implement the initiative. CGSUSA is dedicated to integrating children into the worship life of congregations and is rooted in the child-centered educational observations of Maria Montessori, Sofia Cavalletti, and Gianna Gobbi.

CGSUSA provides Level I, II, and III level formation for catechists, while Aquinas offers supplemental offerings through the ACWP to enhance the knowledge and experience of the CGS trainings. For those wanting additional education in a mostly virtual format (with biennial onsite intensives), Aquinas offers the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies - Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (MAPS-CGS), a one-of-a-kind academic degree that begins a new cohort every two years. The 2026 cohort marked 20 years of the MAPS-CGS degree program at Aquinas.