The Montpelier Atrium
welcome to
an unaffiliated atrium in North Carolina dedicated to offering spiritual formation to children in the Triad through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a profoundly beautiful work of spiritual formation developed for—and through observation of—children. It intentionally requires the skills and resources of a community to build a special environment of prayer called the Atrium for the children it will serve.
With precious, handcrafted works, CGS presents the essentiality of the Gospel to children in a tactile and Spirit-led manner. At the heart of this work lies the parable of the Good Shepherd and its message to the children of their incalculable, unearned, intrinsic worth, just as and where they are.
From my very first encounter with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, God has been leading me on a surprising journey. Through this remarkable work, I have found my faith deepened more than I thought possible, all through attendance to and observation of the spiritual lives of “the least of these”. Over and over again in the Atrium, children’s encounters with God have brought me face-to-face with the profound reality of Divine Love.
Though I started with CGS at a local parish in 2019, it was as recent as 2023 that I found myself called to build a combined Level I & Level II Atrium in our family’s home. To say this was wildly unexpected would be an understatement.
What began as a wild, “impossible” idea now exists as the Montpelier Atrium. Since August 2023, it has regularly welcomed a growing group of folks who represent a variety of faith traditions and experiences to contemplate the Divine and receive the joy of The Good Shepherd.
