THE RELIGIOUS POTENTIAL OF THE CHILD 
Experiencing Scripture and Liturgy with Young Children
This book describes an experience with children from ages three to six, an experience of adults and children dwelling together in the mystery of God. Known as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, this way of religious formation is profoundly biblical and sacramental, and it is, at the same time, deeply respectful of the nature of young children, who make their way to God in freedom and joy.
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.
This classic text has been updated to reflect Sofia Cavalletti’s edits to the Spanish edition and includes a new Preface and Afterword by editor Rebekah Rojcewicz.
Sofia Cavalletti is an internationally known biblical scholar and was a member of the committee that prepared the Directory for Masses with Children.
Together with her collaborator, Gianna Gobbi, a Montessori educator, she has traveled throughout the world forming catechists in this essentially oral method and helping to establish catechetical centers modeled on their Centro di Catechesi in Rome. Rebekah Rojcewicz serves on the Executive Committee of the International Council for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She also serves on the staff of The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Rebekah trained with Sofia Cavalletti and her collaborator Gianna Gobbi and has spent over three decades working with children in the atrium as well as in the formation of catechists. She has served as an author, editor, and translator of a number of CGS volumes.
You can purchase the NEW third edition of The Religious Potential of the Child today!
Since 1984, when the budding Association published its first newsletter, CGSUSA has published 72 books, journals, and articles. CGSUSA publishes books under an imprint of Liturgical Training Publications (LTP), the publishing arm of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Under that imprint CGSUSA has published English translations of the seminal works of Sofia Cavalletti, including several recently updated volumes. CGSUSA continues to select manuscripts for publication, working with prospective authors on ideas of interest to the CGS community. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Publications issues an average of two new books a year.