Purpose: to promote, support and nurture the religious formation of both children and adults
through the proclamation of Christ’s message in keeping with the orientation and
guidelines of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

Mission: We will increase the involvement of children and adults in a shared religious experience of our covenant relationship with God, in which the religious values of the child predominate.

1. The CGSAC works for our members promoting spirituality for the children of Canada
2. The CGSAC is a democratic organization that respects the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to each member
3. The CGSAC governing body is the Board of Trustees
4. The CGSAC bylaws govern its operation
5. The board has 4 standing committees:
   1. Finance and Administration,
   2. Membership Services,
   3. Formation
   4. Growth and Promotion
6. The committees are chaired by a board member and report to the board
7. All members are encouraged to help with the committee of their choice
8. An ‘ad hoc’ nomination committee will be formed annually in preparation for the election of the Board of Trustees.

Objectives:
1. To assist in the establishment, growth and development of religious formation initiatives on behalf of children centered in Atriums across Canada.

2. To develop, support and certify members of the formation team who will provide adult catechetical formation in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

3. To facilitate the formation of adults as catechists in accordance with the work of Sophia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, founders of the Catechesis.

4. To guide and support both the resource center for the CGSAC currently located at Teefy Hall, University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto, and research on the biblical and pedagogical themes essential to
the religious formation of the child.

5. To promote communication, mentorship and mutual support among Canadian catechists through the use of print, oral and telecommunications, for the goal of furthering Christian religious formation of children
and adults.

6. To co-operate with established ecclesial communities and other institutes dedicated to similar goals to further the catechesis of adults and children.

7. To establish and maintain links with the Christian denominations represented by the membership of the CGSAC to further the ecumenical work of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

8. To communicate and collaborate with the associations of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
in other countries and the International Council of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, in
order to further the religious formation of children and adults.

9. To promote the “32 Points of Reflection” as developed by the International Council of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in all works of the CGSAC.

The Good Shepherd Catechesis in Canada – A Short History

•1975 Patricia Coulter goes to Rome for formation underthe direction of Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi. Patricia is the 1st Canadian to enter into formation.

• 1977 Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, at the invitation of Fr. William O’Brien welcomes the catechesis as sacramental preparation for children preparing for first Communion under Patricia Coulter. This initiative continues for four years.

•1978 Sofia Cavelletti at the invitation of the Dean of Theology at the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) offers a 2 week overview of the Catechesis followed by a 1 week workshop directed by Patricia Coulter in Toronto.

• 1979 The first atrium in Canada starts at USMC.

• 1980 Toronto parishes request catechist formation programmes. Adults are welcomed into an informal training programme with Patricia Coulter.

• 1981 The Good Shepherd Centre is opened at St. Phillip Neri at the invitation of Brother Ignatius Feaver and Father Paul Duplessie. Parents and teachers come to assist with the children in the atrium.

• 1982 Rosemary Simmonds is the first Canadian to take a Level I course in the United States.

•1984 Sofia Cavalletti travels to Canada again, this time meeting with Bishops Marcel Gervais and Aloysius Ambrozic to plan the ongoing development of the Catechesis. Kathleen and Chris Ennis, Susan Perna, Alice-May Kuba, Roasemary Simmons, Beatriz Thornton, and Ivanna Todd participate in formation at St. Joseph’s Morrow Park in Willowdale (north Toronto) at the invitation of Sr. Rosella Dowling CSJ.

• 1986 Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi offer the first Level I course to Canadians at St. Joseph’s Wellesly, Toronto. St. Benedict’s, in Islington, welcomes children into their newly created atrium. Father Tom McKillop invites parishioners to start an atrium in the choir loft of Holy Name Church in Toronto.

• 1987 The second part of Level II is completed by Sofia and Gianna at St. Joseph’s Wellesly during the summer. Paula Mugan starts St. Francis Neighbourhood Atrium in London welcoming children into her ‘home’ atrium.

• 1988 The first French-speaking Atrium opens at Sacre Coeur under Michelle Brennan and continues for 2 years. Paula Mugan, Joe and Kathleen Tanel spend the year in Rome with Sofia doing Level II. The ‘Atrium Advisory Council’ (AAC) in the Archdiocese of Toronto is formed in response to the catechists’ desire to form into a community that supports and mentors one other.

• 1989 The Good Shepherd Centre at St. Phillip Neri closes and reopens following the gracious invitation of Father Denaro at St. Norbert’s Parish.

• 1990 The University of St Michael’s College (USMC) Continuing Education Office and the Toronto Archdiocese Catholic Office of Religious Education (CORE) co-sponsor an introductory adult formation programme over 5 evenings.

• 1991 The first Canadian-led Level I course is offered by USMC in partnership with CORE and the Good Shepherd Catechesis Certificate Programme is ratified by the USMC Senate. Michelle Brennan and Cathy Kosior start an atrium in Willowdale at Blessed Trinity Church while Ellen Marchildon and Anne Wiley establish an atrium at Our Lady of Sorrows in Toronto.

• 1992 The Good Shepherd Certificate Programme finds a home at USMC in Teefy Hall.

• 1994 The catechists in the Toronto area initiate an effort to form a Canadian Association of the Catachesis of the Good Shepherd but do not succeed. The AAC ceases meeting; fellowship continues at individual atriums. The Level II of the certificate programme is offered at USMC. Patricia Stenton opens the first Atrium north of Toronto in Perkinsfield offering the catechesis in both French and English. This atrium moves to St. Margaret’s in Midland in 1999.

• 1995 – 1999 The work of the Good Shepherd Catechesis begins to blossom. Atriums open on the outskirts of Toronto, in Georgetown, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal. Level III is facilitated by US catechists at USMC.

• 2000 Jubilee Year. Basic and Advanced Certificates are presented at the Faculty of Theology Convocation. Brother Ignatius Feaver leads our Advent retreat and we rejoice in all the gifts we have received through the Catechesis. We start again to talk of building community by forming into an association.

• 2001- 2004 The Director of Religious Education in the Hamilton Diocese, Ed Krupica, starts a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Advisory Council with the aim of establishing new atriums throughout the diocese. Mentorship of newly minted catechists proceeds at established atriums such as St Benedicts, Our Lady of Sorrows and Holy Cross in Georgetown. The number of atriums continues to grow. Both Anglicans and Lutherans are added to our community of catechists. At our Advent retreat discussion revolves around forming an national association. The formation leaders form into the ‘core’ team, define the certification process and welcome members. More atriums open in Toronto, Mississauga, Belleville, Orillia, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Waterloo, Guelph and Cambridge. An invitation is extended to representatives of all atriums to join in the formation of an association that will bring catechists into community with one another and support the work of the Catechesis in Canada.

• 2005 The ‘Founding Members’ work tirelessly on developing an organizational structure for the association and host the first ‘Gathering’ at St. Joseph’s Wellesly, the site of the first CGS course given in Canada. Seventy catechists and friends of the catechesis joyfully celebrate the birth of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Association of Canada and agree on our mission statement, purpose and objectives.
The purpose of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Association of Canada is to promote, support and nurture the religious formation of both children and adults through the proclamation of Christ’s message in keeping with the orientation and guidelines of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

• 2006 The Canadian government officially recognizes the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Association of Canada as an incorporated charitable organization. The 1st AGM is held in Waterloo during our 2nd Gathering.
Three of the founding members resign and two members are acclaimed as members of the CGSAC Board of Trustees.

· 2007 Formation takes off! Level I courses are offered for the first time in Waterloo, Ottawa and North Bay in addition to 2 in Toronto concurrent with Level II and Level III at USMC. The CGSAC board welcomes 2 new members while regretfully accepting the resignation of Kathleen Ennis who has taken on increased responsibilities for the Good Shepherd Catechesis at the Archdiocese of Toronto. Our next ‘Gathering’ is planned for May 30/31’08.

Founding Members

Patricia Coulter– advisor for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd / Archdiocese of Toronto

Christine Ennis  – educational assistant

Kathleen Ennis  – Director of  the Good Shepherd Catechesis for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto

Ewa Kuczewski– retired book-keeper

Paula Muggan   – retired teacher

Susan Perna  – retired director of the Atrium at St. Benedict’s Church, Etobicoke

Carolyne-Marie Petch– administrative assistant

Patricia Stenton– director of school of dance

Joseph Tanel  – teacher

Nancy Wood -  lay pastoral assistant

Deborah Zeni  – physician

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