The Good Shepherd is a series of religion textbooks written for Polish children abroad – in Polish with a partial English translation.

The Good Shepherd series was created specifically for children learning religion outside Poland, in England, and across Europe. It was developed by Dr. Krzysztof Gospodarzec, a catechist who has been teaching Polish children of varying levels of Polish language proficiency in exile for many years. The textbooks also include exercises and are based on guidelines from catechetical programs.

The textbooks have received official diocesan approval for teaching catechesis in the Roman Catholic Church. The first textbook was published in 2011, and for several years now, a complete set has been available from grades one to eight.

Methodological manuals are also available for all textbooks, which include a CD with developed multimedia presentations for each catechetical unit.

The Good Shepherd series is particularly effective in Polish schools, for teaching catechesis in Polish parishes and churches, and wherever Polish children learn religion, prepare for First Holy Communion, or the sacrament of Confirmation.

The number of lesson units is adapted to the teaching conditions in Polish schools. The language and approach to topics are accessible and understandable for children. The textbooks also include explanations in English, which greatly facilitates working with children for whom Polish is often considered a second or foreign language.

See also other materials for teaching religion.

Advantages of the Good Shepherd religion textbooks:

1. The number of topics is adapted to the catechetical year

2. In Polish with explanations in English

3. Correlates with the liturgical year

4. Contains exercises

5. Consistent with the religious education curriculum

6. Forms a coherent whole from grades 1 to 8

Reviews of the Good Shepherd religion textbooks for Polish diaspora

"The Good Shepherd" series of textbooks by Krzysztof Gospodarc is an interesting and valuable resource for teaching Roman Catholic religion in grades 1-8. They are consistent with the catechetical curriculum implemented in Poland, i.e., the Core Curriculum for Catechesis of the Catholic Church, and have been approved for use by the Roman Catholic Church diocese based in Brooklyn. The textbooks are designed as booklets with exercises that supplement and reinforce the content acquired by students in catechesis.

They are a successful response to the specific needs of students, parents, and teachers working in environments where Polish is often considered a second or foreign language. The author has successfully undertaken a bold attempt to deepen and improve the effectiveness of the dialogue between all participants—students, catechists, and parents—in the catechetical process.

Rev. Prof. Dr. Hab. Wojciech Guzewicz

"I used various catechetical aids. Most of them were textbooks intended for children studying in Poland. These textbooks were not adapted to the conditions of the Polish diaspora for two main reasons.

First, in the catechesis of Polish diaspora children, one catechetical unit per week is usually scheduled, while the Polish textbooks contained two. While the catechist had no problem combining two lesson units into one, the students did. And leaving out a topic was not the best solution. Secondly, the level of children's textbooks in Poland is somewhat inadequate for Polish children, for whom Polish is a second language, which sometimes requires explanations in English. The Polish textbooks I used lacked multimedia lessons.

Dr. Krzysztof Gospodarzec addressed these issues by preparing excellent religious education textbooks for Polish children. Personally, these textbooks will be a great help in teaching religion, and even more so for the children who will use them. The number of lesson units is adapted to the teaching environment in Polish schools. The language and approach to topics are more accessible and understandable for children. The textbooks also include essential and fundamental explanations in English.

Some catechism truths and prayers are also presented bilingually, which is essential for, for example, the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation or the Eucharist. Children should be able to confess in two languages ​​and actively participate in Holy Mass in both Polish and English. Some textbooks include a CD with a multimedia presentation. Special handbooks preparing for First Holy Communion and the sacrament of Confirmation deserve attention and praise.

It is good that such handbooks have been published in the Polish community market."

Fr. Ryszard Koper