Overview
To allow parents to focus and participate more fully in the Mass, we provide an onsite safe and caring environment for little ones ranging in age from 1 year (or walking) through age 3 at the 9:00 and 11:00 Masses on Sunday mornings, and the 9:00 Mass on Wednesday mornings during the school year when it is attended by students at SEAS School. Children generally attend Mass with their parents when they are age 4 or older.
The SEAS nursery is located in the Parish Hall (the brick building located right next to the church). Enter through the doors that face Willis Lane, and the nursery is on the immediate right before entering the main room of the Parish Hall.
We are required to have Emergency Information and Waiver of Liability Forms on hand for each child, to be completed the first time you drop your child off.
What to Bring
- Extra diapers/training pants/underwear, wipes, and a complete change of clothing for those “oops” times. Please have everything together in one bag that is clearly labeled with your child’s name. Be sure all jackets, sweaters, etc. are also labeled.
- Label all plastic bottles/water bottles/sippy cups. If your child needs formula, please have it either already prepared or measured and ready to mix when needed.
- If you wish for your child to have a snack, be sure to include that in their bag.
- Be sure that nursery attendants are aware if your child has any food allergies.
- DO NOT BRING ANY SNACKS THAT CONTAIN PEANUTS/PEANUT BUTTER.
Wellness Policy
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Registration
Step 1. Create a Profile and Add your Whole Family
Family Info Registration
- You only need to do this once, ever! Skip this step if you did this last year.
- The first person you enter is yourself (the parent)
- Under "household members" add another adult (spouse/adults living at home) and/or children (12th grade and younger)
- When adding an adult/spouse, please use their email and mobile phone number. Their information should be unique to them and allow them to register for events in the future.
Step 2. Sign Up for CGS
Program Registration
- Click register and sign in with the phone number/email associated with yourself (the parent)
- Then choose each family member participating in the program and select their participation type.
- During registration, most basic information will be auto populated from the form in Step 1. You will still need to answer questions specific to the program.
- At the end of each registration you will be prompted for the registration fee. Please complete each registration in full before moving on to registering a student(s) for another program
Would you like to help your young child enjoy a deeper relationship with God? The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based approach to the religious formation of children, rooted in Sacred Scripture, Liturgy, and respect for the child’s rich relationship with God.
We are happy to be offering Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level 1 for 3-6 year old children this fall. Level 2, for children 6-9 will be offered to children who have completed level 1. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an experiential approach to the spiritual formation of children.
Developed by Hebrew scholar and theologian, Dr. Sofia Cavaletti, and Montessori trainer, Gianna Gobbi, the Catechesis recognizes the existing relationship between God and the child, and aims to nurture this relationship by helping the child “come close to God all by myself.”
Based on the Montessori principles of education, the Catechesis introduces the child to the Scripture and the Liturgy through hands-on materials. These materials free the child to contemplate his/her own relationship with God and the Church. The catechist and the child are co-learners, seeking together the mystery of God and God’s Kingdom.
The catechists who work with the children will participate in nearly 100 hours of formation and are preparing a special environment for the children, which is called the Atrium.
The Atrium
What is a “prepared environment”? The prepared environment is a Montessori concept that the environment can be designed to facilitate independent learning by the child. In a prepared environment, children work with materials of their own choice and at their own pace. They experience a combination of freedom and self-discipline in a place especially prepared to meet their developmental and spiritual needs.
Why is it called “Atrium” anyway? The word “atrium” actually means “portico, or porch entrance to a large house.” The Atrium was a term given to this space by Maria Montessori. It was chosen because in the ancient church, the atrium was a gathering space between the Church Proper and the street. It was the place where the catechumens, those preparing for initiation to the Church, would receive instruction. The Atrium has a similar purpose for our children, as it is a place to help them enter into full, conscious and active participation in the liturgical and communal life of the Church.
We offer atrium sessions on the following times: