The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a religious formation methodology for children ages 4-12, unites adults and children in a common religious experience.  Based on Montessori principles of education, CGS was developed in Rome in 1954 by a Catholic Hebrew and Scripture scholar, Sofia Cavaletti.  Children learn in a specially prepared environment called the Atrium, a sacred, “hands on” space where catechists and children hear, ponder and celebrate the most essential mysteries of our faith as revealed in Sacred Scripture and Liturgy. Catechists in the Atrium receive specific training in the methodology. Materials are carefully prepared to foster in children the inherent longing for a relationship with God and curiosity about the elements of our faith.