Atrium Options for Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and South-East Indiana

Just a quick post to share some opportunities for anyone seeking an atrium experience for their children:

• homeschoolers
• public school or private school
• no religious ed or limited religious education available in your parish
• or anyone looking for an awesome faith formation experience based on the core tenets of our faith, using the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Holy Scripture and the Roman Missal as our prime sources of doctrine and knowledge. 

Cincinnati, Ohio: 
Levels 2 and 3 - actually ages 5-13
Tuesdays 3:30-5:30
(contact me for location details)

• 5 year olds will have a level 1 atrium experience, phasing into the level 2 history presentations as they are ready
• 6-8 year olds will have a typical (meaning awesome!) level 2 atrium experience 
• 9-11 year olds will have a typical (equally awesome!) level 3 atrium experience
• 12-13 year olds will have independent/adult-guided studies in typology and liturgy utilizing the level 3 materials where appropriate. 
• Sacramental preparation will be offered in 5 additional sessions and 2 retreat days

St. Leon, Indiana (West Harrison, Indiana)

Levels 1, 2, 3, and "3+" - ages 3-13+

Thursdays 3:30-5:30

(contact me for location details)

• 3-6 year olds will be in the level 1 atrium (led by a level 1 and 2 CGS trained mom)
• 6-8 year olds will be in the level 2 atrium 
• 9-13+ will be in the level 3 atrium
• the 12-13+ year olds will have a combination of level 3 and The Teen Timeline, studying Salvation History in chronological order, utilizing level 3 materials at appropriate moments. Lots of history, typology, Scripture study and an understanding of the Church. 
• Sacramental preparation will be offered according to the needs of the children who register. 

All children, except the level 1 children on Thursdays will be in atrium spaces coordinated by a catechist trained in level 1, level 2 and level 3; Montessori trained at primary (3-6) and elementary (6-12); homeschool mom and teacher. And formation leader for training the catechists.

Please contact me with any questions :)

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is not on the Conformity List - WHY!?

Continuing from my first post on Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - Conformity and Red Flags


The main "issue" comes down to this:

The USCCB set out to assure that published faith formation (religious education) texts are aligned with the doctrine of the Church.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provides hands-on materials and experiences for the children that make real to them the Catechism of the Catholic Church (contains our doctrine), the Sacred Scripture (the Word of God), and the Roman Missal and the books on the Rites (our Liturgy - the practice of our faith through our worship). Thus, our textbooks ARE in conformity, because the textbooks we use are those published by the Catholic Church herself.

We could stop there; but most people don't.


The secondary issue comes down to the fact that the experience of the child in ANY faith formation program is only as good as the catechist who allows the Holy Spirit to be in control and not bring in one's own agenda. One could be using a perfectly sound published textbook and the children will NOT get the proper teaching from it, if the catechist has a different agenda or is poorly formed in his/her own faith.

On the other hand, one could be using a perfectly rotten textbook and the catechist has the know-how to bring in appropriate teaching and appropriate experiences so that the children actually learn and grow (this catechist is being led by the Holy Spirit).


Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provides both the sound doctrine (by using the Bible, the Roman Missal and the CCC) and the proper catechist formation in one package: via 90+ hour formation courses for each level (working with 3-6 year olds, 6-9 year olds and 9-12+ year olds).

Mid-West Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Courses - Level 1 and Level 2 - Indiana (Kentucky, Ohio)

To be offered in St. Leon, Indiana this summer and into the school year:

Level 1 - Part 1:
Each day is 8a-4p
July 26
September 27
October 25
November 15
December 6

Part 2:
Choose either Sundays to correspond with the above Saturdays
July 27, September 28, October 26, November 16, December 7
or continue the Saturdays
January 17, February 21, March 14, April 18, May 9

Level 2 - Complete Formation Course: 
8am-4pm each day
June 9, 10 (see note below - it is not too late to join!)
July 7, 8
August 4
October 13
November 8
February/March dates: TBD (3 additional days)
UPDATE: 6/16/14: YOU CAN STILL JOIN THIS COURSE! Attend any days you can; missed days can be made up by meeting with the course formation leader at an alternate time, or join a later level 2 formation course and come to the needed portions.


On-site lodging available (provide your own food; lodging is a house with full kitchen)


At the lovely St. Joseph location of All Saints Parish - home to 3 atriums (one at each level). Nearby St. John the Baptist location of All Saints Parish has a second level 1 for participants to visit; and nearby St. Paul location of All Saints Parish has a second level 2 for possible visiting (need to check on that).

All Saints Parish has the only level 3 atrium in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the longest-running parish-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium at any level within this archdiocese.

Come join us!


About the Formation Leader - Jessica Welsh is a recognized formation leader of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd National Association.

I have been in the atrium for 10 years, following the growth of my son in the atrium (starting in infancy and now in level 3). I currently have 5 weekly atrium times: 1 level 1, 2 level 3 and 2 atriums that combine levels 2 and 3. I work with children who attend public school, private school and homeschool. 

On the side, I offer online Montessori homeschool support for primary (ages 3-6) and elementary (6-12 years) - based on AMI practices and albums.

I am excited to offer these two courses in my home-town and hope that everyone who can make it can come.

Looking for a course elsewhere? I am also happy to travel elsewhere for courses, if you have enough people in need of formation :)

  

Mid-west CGS Formation Courses

To be offered in St. Leon, Indiana this summer and into the school year:

Level 1 - Part 1:
July 25, 26
September 26, 27
November 14, 15
Part 2: TBA

Level 2 - Complete Formation Course: 
June 9, 10
July 7, 8
August 4
October 13
November 8
February/March dates: TBD


On-site lodging available (provide your own food; lodging is a house with full kitchen)


At the lovely St. Joseph location of All Saints Parish - home to 3 atriums (one at each level). Nearby St. John the Baptist location of All Saints Parish has a second level 1 for participants to visit; and nearby St. Paul location of All Saints Parish has a second level 2 for possible visiting (need to check on that).

All Saints Parish has the only level 3 atrium in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the longest-running parish-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium at any level within this archdiocese.

Come join us!


About the Formation Leader - Jessica Welsh is a National Association recognized formation leader.

I have been in the atrium for 10 years, following the growth of my son in the atrium (starting in infancy and now in level 3). I currently have 5 weekly atrium times: 1 level 1, 2 level 3 and 2 atriums that combine levels 2 and 3. I work with children who attend public school, private school and homeschool. 

On the side, I offer online Montessori homeschool support for primary (ages 3-6) and elementary (6-12 years) - based on AMI practices and albums.

I am excited to offer these two courses in my home-town and hope that everyone who can make it can come. I am also happy to travel elsewhere for courses, if you have enough people in need of formation :)

  

Climbing the Walls

Came into the atrium one day to find this: 

Me too, Ladies - definitely me too!

Pin Map Love

I love the pin maps. They are a useful technique for mastering geography without being all boring about it ;) 

We have modified this work for our local atrium spaces. 

In level 2 and 3, we have the following: 

1. Cities and Regions (pins: 18 red, 7 white)
2. Mountain Peaks (pins: 7 green)
3. Mountain Ranges, Desert, Bodies of Water (pins: 4 blue, 6 yellow)

(this is the "old" CGS set up which we have chosen to keep - they've been modified a bit)

In level 2, there is a control map for each map and a corresponding booklet with a page for each pin. We modified the booklets to include EVERY location with a Scripture reference. 

We also removed some locations that NO ATLAS or internet search could tell me the proper location for. We ditched those ones. 

This way, the child can read the corresponding booklet, see the Scripture reference, locate the city/etc. on the control map and pin the location on the blank map. They also have access to various atlases and a large wall map, but this helps them to focus in. 

In level 3, we have all three of the above maps AND we have a wooden blank pin map that contains all of those features on one board. There is only ONE control map to use for all 4 mutes: it has everything on it. 

All features and All Features control - in level 3

No booklets. Instead, I hand them a chart of Scripture references - look up the Scripture passages, find the name of a geographical feature - when the chart is complete, I check it for accuracy. When all are accurate, they have earned the privilege to use the pin maps. 

At this level, they have to use the atlases in the atrium to find their locations, place it on the blank pin map of their choosing (they can work with any of the 4 wood map options) - then use the control map to check their work. If they get something wrong, they need to go back to the atlas and see what happened - maybe one atlas says one thing and another says something different..... Tricky! 

Two level 2 children working with the level 2 versions. The control maps are photocopies of the wood maps, then we used sticky labels for the names, mounted the copies onto tagboard and wrapped in contact paper. You can see the children are on their third map (the other two are finished, in the background). 

Yes, they should be working on rugs. We are having a scenario with rugs on this particular day ;) 

up close of the Cities/Regions blank pin map

The level 2 labels in our local atrium
These are not very sturdy as the labels like to slide off
and the pins bend
But they work for getting started! 

Sola Scriptura ???

Recently, a Christian company was asked about on one of my online groups - their "about us" has this to say:

To summarize, we at Lamplighter believe:

• Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone presents the framework of final authority for faith (doctrine) and practice.

• Sola gracia – Grace is not only essential, but is God’s exclusive method of redemption.

• Sola Fide – Faith apart from works is the only means of receiving redemption, justification and all other gifts of God.

• Solo Cristo – Only Christ is savior and Lord.  There is no saving merit apart from or in addition to Christ’s righteousness and sacrifice.  His work is sufficient and complete for accomplishing our redemption and cannot be supplemented with efforts of our own.

• Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone the glory, the only appropriate response, recognizes no other as worthy to receive honor or praise."

I guess I just don't understand stuff like this.

The Bible ALONE? But the Christian Church began before the New Testament was written; the Hebrew people lived for centuries with an in-development Hebrew Bible canon. So "Tradition" came before "Scripture" - the two work together. But ok, let's go with Bible alone for a few more moments.

God's Grace? Yep. Agreed.

Faith alone? Maybe. But "By their works, they shall be known." (Matthew chapter 7) The BIBLE (Bible alone, right?) has Jesus' teachings about HOW TO ACT in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is faith alone that gets us in, but it is our works (the *fruits* of our faith) that KEEP us in. If we do not bear fruit, we will be pruned and thrown out to be burned for eternity (Book of John chapter 10).

Christ alone? Yep. But He is part of a Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) - and we can ALL intercede for one another. Christ wants us to pray for each other - and those praying includes those who have gone before us, those with us now and those who may not even personally know us.

To God alone be glory - YES! Here is where we have a difference in definition of words. Non-Catholics have one definition for worship; Catholics have THREE. WHY!? Those crazy Catholics! Going back to the original languages, how dare they?
Dulia, Hyper-dulia, Latria.

• Latria is the highest of worship - TRUE WORSHIP - reserved for God alone. THIS is true worship and is reserved for God alone. 
• Dulia is a high form of RESPECT/HONOR - reserved for those humans who have lived virtuous lives and have pointed others to Christ. 
• Hyper-dulia is reserved for the one who carried God in her womb and nursed the Lord, the Creator, at her breast: Jesus' mother: Mary. DEVOTION to the one who said YES, when our original parents (Adam and Eve) said NO. Not worship ---- DEVOTION. 

But all of this is in the Bible - or part of the Tradition that was the Church before the Bible. The Bible itself says, "There is more outside of this writing - the entire world could not contain the works of Christ during His life on Earth alone - follow all that I taught you in person, this letter is only clarification and reiteration of specific points." (The Apostle Paul - serious paraphrasing there)

The Bible itself says that it should not be used as the ONLY source. 

Otherwise, guess what? Protestants agree with Catholics on more than they know - they only think they are disagreeing.