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Welcome to Casa Dei Bambini
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - Wichita, KS
Our Mission
Children have the religious potential for contemplation and enjoyment of God.
The mission of Casa Dei Bambini is to provide a prepared environment to serve the religious potential of the child and to support catechists, parents and others in the church as they grow in their understanding of that potential.
What We Do
We Listen to the Voice of the Good Shepherd with Children
Through a common religious experience involving children and adults in which the religious values of childhood, contemplation and enjoyment of God, a prepared environment is offered, called the Atrium, that serves the religious life of the child. This environment responds the child's religious need, "help me to come to God by myself." In the Atrium, the child, through work, prayer, and contemplation comes to know the voice of the Good Shepherd.
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We also provide sacrament preparation retreats for children and catechist formation courses for adults.
Children's Formation
The religious life of the child develops and flourishes through the prepared environment, called the Atrium. In the Atrium, the child can listen to the Word of God proclaimed, meditate on it, and begin to live it according to the child's own rhythm. In this environment, the child's work, their freely chosen activity, easily becomes prayer and meditation. In the atrium, the catechist's role is to prepare the environment and offer presentations from Scripture and Liturgy, so that prayer and contemplation can take place and relationship with the Good Shepherd can develop.
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Our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd sessions run from September to April and are offered for children aged 0 to 12. To inquire about enrollment, please visit the Enroll Now page.
Catechist Formation
For adults seeking to serve children, we offer catechist formation courses. To assist the adult in understanding the child's religious potential and developmental needs, our courses are led by formation leaders that are recognized by the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Formation enriches the adult, providing a background of scripture and liturgy, theology and prayer, as well as the pedagogy of the young child, helping the adult to see what face of God the young child most needs in order to enter into a relationship with God.​
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We offer Level 1, 2, and 3 Formation Courses on a rotating bases. Click below to see our current and upcoming courses.
Sacrament Retreats
Our Sacrament Preparation retreats are faithful to the Rome Model. First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation preparation incorporate the full wealth of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, focusing on the grandeur of the gift which is about to be received. Sacrament preparation begins with the announcement, continues with special preparation meetings, and culminates with a multi-day retreat. Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shephard sacrament preparation models for First Communion and Confirmation.
What is the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was born from the joy of the children's encounter with God. It has been observed that children of the same developmental stage, even those from widely varying cultural backgrounds, respond to elements of the Christian message in the same way.
Thank you for helping us make a difference!
Through generous support, we've been able to renovate and expand Casa Dei Bambini. Our ministry is a 501(c)3 non-profit and is entirely funded through donations from our generous supporters. Our catechists and board members are volunteers. Your donations are used to purchase and maintain materials for the children, support retreats, and for general upkeep, repairs, and utilities at Casa Dei Bambini. The generosity of our donors ensures we can continue to carry out our mission, vision, and purpose. Thank you to all who have given!