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CGS Grows Impact in Our Diocese: Pax Christi & Rebecca Gust

Elizabeth Williams, MS - June 2nd, 2026

Every so often, the Holy Spirit begins stirring something across multiple parishes at once: a quiet growth and renewal that deserves to be named, celebrated, and encouraged. That is exactly what is happening right now with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) in the Diocese of Winona‑Rochester.

From Pax Christi in Rochester to small‑town parishes and homeschooling communities, CGS is taking root in ways that are forming children, strengthening families, and renewing the hearts of adults who serve as catechists. And supporting this growth is our Seeds of Faith – Faith Formation Endowment grant, which continues to remove barriers and empower parishes to offer high‑quality formation.

Two stories in particular, one from Pax Christi, and one from a local catechist named Rebecca Gust, show how God is multiplying this work across our diocese.

Pax Christi: A Parish Rediscovering Wonder

When Michelle Todd of Pax Christi reached out to share what has been unfolding in their parish, her joy was unmistakable.

“We have been blessed with grant money from the Catholic Foundation and our faith formation is beginning to take root again within our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd formation.”

CGS is a Montessori‑based method that invites children into a quiet, contemplative encounter with Scripture and the Liturgy. Michelle describes the heart of the method beautifully: “In the atrium, we often respond to children with, ‘I wonder…’ — an invitation that gives them space to enter into a quiet, personal dialogue with Jesus.”

Pax Christi has embraced a weekend formation model, allowing working adults to participate fully. Each session brings new faces, new insights, and a growing sense of shared mission. Thanks to Seeds of Faith funding, the parish has been able to provide tuition support, meals, materials, and a welcoming environment where catechists can learn, pray, and grow together.

The fruit is unmistakable. One participant shared: “The main benefit was learning that the objective is to let each child explore Jesus and the faith that is gifted to each of us at birth.”

This is the kind of formation that shapes not only children, but entire parish communities.

A Diocesan Need: More Local CGS Trainers

While Pax Christi is one of several parishes implementing CGS, a major challenge remains: there are currently no CGS Formation Leaders (trainers) within the Diocese of Winona‑Rochester.

This means parishes must send volunteers out of town for training or attempt to host trainers from other dioceses, a costly and logistically difficult process.

This gap is precisely why the story of Rebecca Gust's passion and commitment is so exciting.

Rebecca Gust: Answering the Call to Serve as a CGS Formation Leader

For eight years, Rebecca has served as a CGS catechist in multiple parish and school settings. She has seen firsthand how deeply this method forms children and how urgently our diocese needs more trained catechists. But she has also seen the barrier:

“Currently, there are no CGS formation leaders in the diocese of Winona‑Rochester… When a parish or school would like to train catechists, they must send their volunteers out of town.”

Rebecca feels called to help remove that barrier.

She has the experience, the mentor, the diocesan support, and the training site lined up. What she lacked was the funding to complete the multi‑year Formation Leader apprenticeship — a process that requires significant time, travel, and preparation.

As a homeschooling mother of five in a single‑income household, the financial burden is simply too great without assistance.

Her request to the Catholic Foundation and Seeds of Faith Endowment Grant Committee was simple and mission‑driven: a Seeds of Faith grant to cover the costs of her multi‑year training so she can serve the entire diocese.

Zach Rawson, DOW-R Director of Youth Ministry & Faith Formation, put it plainly in his letter of support: “The presence of a certified Catechist Trainer within our diocese would be a substantial asset… This investment would have a lasting and multiplying impact on catechetical formation in our region.”

Rebecca’s formation would not benefit only one parish. It would benefit every parish seeking to offer CGS.

Seeds of Faith at Work Across the Diocese

Pax Christi’s flourishing CGS program and Rebecca’s call to become a Formation Leader are two sides of the same story: the Holy Spirit is growing something beautiful in our diocese, and Seeds of Faith is helping it take root. If you or your family gave to the Seeds of Faith endowment in the early 2000s, take note! Your sacrifice then is continuing to make a difference today in Southern MN!

Pax Christi is forming new catechists through a thriving weekend model.
Other parishes are beginning to explore CGS or expand their existing trained catechists
Rebecca is preparing to serve as a diocesan‑wide trainer, making formation more accessible for everyone.

This is exactly what the Seeds of Faith Endowment was created to do: strengthen catechesis, equip formators, and build sustainable, mission‑driven ministries.

A Model Worth Replicating

If your parish is discerning how to strengthen faith formation, especially for young children, consider whether CGS might be a good fit. And if training costs, materials, or formation needs feel out of reach, remember: Seeds of Faith exists to help you take the next step.

Funding is available for:

formation of formators
catechetical materials
CGS training

Your parish can apply for a Seeds of Faith grant today! Our next, quarterly deadline is July 10, 2027. If you're reading this article after that, please visit our webpage for the latest deadlines.

May the stories of Pax Christi and Rebecca Gust be an encouragement: when we invest in formation, the Holy Spirit multiplies the fruit.

Ready to Sign Up for CGS Formation?

(Source: Zach Rawson's Weekly Newsletter on Youth Ministry and Faith Formation)

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children, beginning at the age of three. It seeks to create and facilitate a sacred, “hands-on” space for children called an atrium, in which both the children and their catechists can hear, ponder, and celebrate the most essential mysteries of the Catholic faith as revealed in the Scriptures and the Liturgy.

A few locations in the diocese will be hosting catechist training opportunities:

St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Lakefield (all 2026 dates)