The Good Shepherd and the Child by CGSUSA

April 08, 2026 Episode 165. Building of Relationships with Carolyn Kohlhaas

Episode 165. Building of Relationship with Carolyn Kohlhaas

“If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.”

Psalm 130: 3-4

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"Moral existence is a response to the Lord's loving initiative. It is the acknowledgement and homage given to God and a worship of thanksgiving. It is cooperation with the plan God pursues in history." Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2062

“To teach morality, the catechist must be convinced that at its roots is love, and then proceed from that principle. Morality emerges from love. We must never wander far from this source, not even when we teach explicitly the Law, which shows us the way we must follow to reach God. The entire Law has been summarized by Jesus in the two commandments of love, and He has made love the badge of allegiance. ‘One cannot obey more than one loves,’ wrote the prior of the Little Brothers of Jesus.” (Teaching Doctrine and Liturgy)

“We can never stress too much the necessity of anchoring every moral teaching in a solid, kerygmatic orientation. Before providing specific instructions of what I am to do, moral formation must tell me with whom I do it, for whom I do it, with whom I am in relationship. Often we rush to action without having given enough thought to these primary questions.” (RPCII, 83)

“The primary and fundamental attitude of the person educated in the moral life is the awareness of belonging: to belong to God, to belong to God’s world, to belong to humanity.”- Father Mongillo

Carolyn joins the conversation today to walk us through how morality evolves and progresses in a child’s life and how we can meet those needs in all levels of the atria.

Carolyn Kohlhaas is a nationally recognized Formation Leader for CGS at all three levels of formation. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology and in Religious Education from Franciscan University of Steubenville and her AMI Primary (3-6) and Elementary (6-12) Level Certifications from the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota. Carolyn has a Master of Education degree (Loyola College, Maryland) as well as a Master of Arts in Theology (St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity). She has worked with children in Atriums in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis since 2006 and with adults in formation courses across the US since 2009. wosatrium.weebly.com

CGS IN SCHOOLS

Books you might be interested in:

Development of the Rome Atrium

The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Year Olds

History of the Kingdom of God Part 1: Creation to Parouisa

History of the Kingdom of God Part 2: Liturgy and the Building of the Kingdom

Life in the Vine: The Joyful Journey Continues

Podcast Episodes you might be interested in:

Episode 34 – The Paschal Mystery

Episode 55 – Cosmic Education

TINA LILIG MEMORIAL FUND

During the month of February, we remember our first national director, Valentina Lillig, and we honor her legacy by encouraging generosity to the Tina Lillig Memorial Fund.

The mission of the Tina Lillig Memorial Fund is to support the growth and development of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd through catechist formation, missionary outreach, and the work of the United States Association of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGSUSA). To these ends, the TLM Fund offers a source of financial aid (in the form of partial scholarships) to applicants who would find paying the full tuition of a course to be a hardship.

If you or your community needs scholarship or grant support for formation, please visit our website and apply [this could be a link in the show notes]. The next deadline for applications is April 30. Thank you to all the donors who have generously supported the TLM Fund and made formation courses possible for catechists across the US and the world.

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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.

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