Developing a Continuum of Experiences for Faith Formation in the Catholic Tradition

Abstract

This paper summarizes the contribution of Montessori approaches to religious education, both by Maria Montessori herself and by the more recent work of Sofia Cavalletti, Gianna Gobbi and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. It is acknowledged that this work has been pursued primarily in an attempt to match religious experiences with developmental sensitive periods. The question remains, however, of how the needs of those who have missed the ideal moment for the various aspects of their religious development can be accommodated. A case is made for seeing the typical stages of human development described by Montessori as a general sequential process for all learning, including religious. Consequently, the sequence of experiences used in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd might be able to serve the wider purpose of indicating an appropriate sequence for all religious learning. This paper summarizes the contribution of Montessori approaches to religious education, both by Maria Montessori herself and by the more recent work of Sofia Cavalletti, Gianna Gobbi and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. It is acknowledged that this work has been pursued primarily in an attempt to match religious experiences with developmental sensitive periods. The question remains, however, of how the needs of those who have missed the ideal moment for the various aspects of their religious development can be accommodated. A case is made for seeing the typical stages of human development described by Montessori as a general sequential process for all learning, including religious. Consequently, the sequence of experiences used in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd might be able to serve the wider purpose of indicating an appropriate sequence for all religious learning.