120. History of the Journal with Carol Dittberner and Betsy Peterson

The Good Shepherd and the Child

“Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.”

— Psalm 111:1-3

Celebrate 40 Years of CGSUSA Registration for the 40th Celebration closes on August 1st, 2024!

FAQs about the 40th

Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!

CORRECTION- In our conversation we referred to LTP under the wrong name. LTP’s correct name is Liturgical Training Publications.

CGSUSA is a wealth of knowledge and resources to support our work with the children. One of those resources is the annual journal that is given to all members and can be purchased through the CGSUSA store. Carol and Betsy join us on the podcast to share with us the history of the CGSUSA annual journal.

Carol Dittberner’s experiences with children and adults span over 40 years. In 1974, she completed the Level I Montessori Training Course in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Just one year later, in July, 1975, Sofia Cavalletti made her first trip to the United States. In St. Paul, MN, Carol was a participant in this first course on the religious formation of the child. She completed the Assistants to Infancy Course at Opera Montessori Nationale in Rome, Italy, and has a M.A. from St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis, MN. Her work as a catechist has been with Toddlers, Levels I, II, and III. As a Formation Leader, she conducted courses around the U.S., and international trips to New Zealand and Australia. Mission trips for the Missionaries of Charity include Uganda. Kenya, Rwanda, Uzbekistan, Trinidad and Sri Lanka. Carol was the co-founder of the first Catechesis Journal, first published in 1984.

Betsy Peterson lives in Chicago, Illinois. She is a wife, and the mother of two grown children.

She fell in love with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 1990, and 34 years later, the love just continues to grow. She works in the 9-12 atrium at Church of Our Saviour Episcopal church, and the 3-6 atrium at St Teresa of Avila Roman Catholic church. She is certified through CGSUSA as a formation leader in all three levels. She was a member of the CGS Journal team for twelve years. Learning, praying, singing - being with the children fills her with wonder and delight, as does the deep friendships with her fellow catechists. She thanks God for giving her this work. What a gift!

Help us prepare for the 40th Celebration:

We invite you to assist with our celebration:  

• Please tell us where the atrium you serve is, the names of your catechists, and the first names of the children you serve in the atrium, so we may include all their names on our prayer table when we gather next August. We ask that you email this information to Susan Stuhlsatz‑Reese at [e-mail]

• We are counting on you! We are also happy to share with you that our new and improved atrium locator is now up and running! As part of our “soft launch” to make sure all is working well we are inviting you to take a first look and add your atrium if it is not there yet: Find CGS Near Me – Atrium Locator. Please consider also listing your atrium in the atrium locator. Video for easy instructions HERE

• We know many catechists have gone before us to share in the heavenly banquet. We want to remember each of them. If you know a catechist who has died, please send us their name, a small bio or obituary, the gifts they shared with our CGS community and if possible, a photo. Please share with Mary Heinrich at [e-mail].

• We have opportunities for sponsors to contribute to our event fund. Please let us know of any individuals, groups, businesses, or organizations you know who may be willing to contribute. We will have some wonderful opportunities for our sponsors, more information will be coming soon.  

AUDIOBOOK:

Audiobook – Now Available on Audible

CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz!

The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child’s spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.

Find out more about CGS:

Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at www.cgsusa.org

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