Song, hands-on instruction teach toddlers about Advent
BUTLER TWP — Brothers Athanasius and John Stanish gazed at the flame flickering on a purple candle.
The 19-month-old and 4-year-old sang as another candle was lit on the Advent wreath.
“Light one candle for hope,” they sang as the room grew a little brighter and more shadows danced on the walls. “Light one candle for peace.”
The Advent wreath was lit at the beginning and end of their class.
“It helps us remember what season we're celebrating right now and it also encourages them to ask mom and dad at home to have an Advent wreath.” said Amanda Kramer, coordinator of religious education at St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen parish, adding each candle symbolizes hope, peace, joy and love.
Toddlers learned about Advent through song and hands-on instruction at the parish, 125 Buttercup Road, through the parish's toddler program, which is an extension of its Faith Formation program called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, open to preschoolers age 3 through seventh grade. The recently developed toddler program is part of a national pilot experience through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
In the program, children are grouped based on age in four different levels — Level I for ages 3-6, Level II for grades 1-3, Level III for grades 4-5 and Level IV for grades 6-7. The catechist, the adult in the specially prepared room called the atrium, assists the growth of the child's relationship with God and prepares them to enter the church.
Since 2011, the program has grown from one room to an atrium for every grade, said Celine Mitchell, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd director and international formation leader. This year, about 200 children are in the program.
Key elements of the faith are presented to the youngest children then expanded on in higher levels. Mass and the Bible — “two legs of the faith” — are taught to children, she said.
The sixth-grade daughter of Grove City resident Lorie Wizorek, a member of the Church of Beloved Disciple, is in Level III. This is her daughter's second year in the program.
Wizorek also took the Level I course to become a catechesis.“It teaches them everything about their faith hands-on,” Wizorek said in a self-paced environment rather than textbook course.Meridian resident Jenny Cygan, who has attended St. Fidelis parish for about 21 years, has three grandchildren — two in level 1 and one in level 2 — in the program.“There's less of a focus on memorization of rules and prayers,” Cygan said.As children explore and learn in the Atria, they are able to recognize objects used in the Mass, she said.Advent is preparation for Christmas, while Lent is preparation for Easter, Kramer said.Summit Elementary School third-grader David Kramer drew baby Jesus and wrote the Act of Contrition.At the end of class, the Advent wreath would be lit, David said, adding Advent means preparation for Christmas.“There are four weeks of Advent so there's one candle for every week,” said David, 8. “I'm pretty sure you light the pink one last.”Homeschool student Samuel Walowen, 9, copied down prayers.“That's to remind us of Jesus,” said Samuel about the candle in the wreath's center.Each week, catechists discuss the liturgical calendar, said Sandy Zaremski, who has been a catechist for over five years and member of St. Fidelis parish for over 30 years.“We took some of the things we did in Level I with the 3- to 6-year-olds and made it simpler,” said Zaremski, the catechist in the toddler program.Last week's lesson highlighted preparing for a special feast, the coming of Jesus, Christmas and the candles that help countdown, Kramer said.Motor functions are a focus in the toddler course, she said.Toddlers practice scooping beans into a chalice, Kramer said. When they advance to Level I, they will pour water.The skill observes silent reflection as they focus on pouring, she said.“It's in the quiet contemplation that we hear God speaking to us,” she said.In Level I, a song is taught for every color of the year, Zaremski said.Children are sensitive to color, which is why the Atria are decorated with the colors of the liturgical year — white, red, purple and green.Purple dons different corners of the atrium at this time of year to signify preparation during Advent.Children are able to recognize and follow the Mass through the lessons they learn in the program, said Kramer, who suggests families make a prayer area inside their homes with an Advent wreath and light the corresponding candle during Advent.
The season of Advent developed in the Church over time. Here are facts about the roots and meanings of Advent:Advent is a time of expectation and preparation for the birth of the Lord. The word Advent comes from the Latin word advents or coming.Advent has a changing start date. It starts on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (Nov. 30). It can begin as early as Nov. 27 or as late as Dec. 3.Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year. Advent was chosen to begin the year as representative of the time in history that Christ was not known.The Advent season has two meanings. It emphasizes the celebration of Christ coming into the world as a man and also the second coming when the Lord will return again.Advent has two parts. The first portion, the First Sunday of Advent until Dec. 16, is preparation for the second coming of Christ. The second portion, from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24, directly prepares people for the commemoration of the first coming of Christ — Christmas.SOURCE: Catholic Apostolate Center
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd began in 1954 when scripture theologian Sofia Cavalletti was asked to develop a religious education program for young children. Together with Gianna Gobbi, a Montessorian, the pair spent over 60 years developing and refining an approach to guiding children to understand Christ and their relationship with Him.Through the lessons or presentations, the child discovers who Jesus is and that they are called by name to follow Him.Today, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is offered in 37 countries around the world. Visit cgsusa.org for more infomration about the program.In the Diocese of Pittsburgh, it is an approved alternative model for elementary catechesis and is growing with every formation training offered.For more information about the program at St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen Parish, contact Amanda Kramer at 724-482-2362 or email faithformation@saintfidelis.org.
