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Fidelity to God & Fidelity to Man: The Catechetical Praxis of Maria Montessori

To many who live in the United States, ‘Montessori Catechesis’ may seem something of an oxymoron given the particular ‘unreligious’ mileu in which many Montessori schools find themselves. Yet anyone who has studied Maria Montessori and her educational philosophy knows that she was a devout Catholic, formed in the mind and heart of the Church. In her philosophy of education, we can hear an echo of St. Thomas Aquinas’ teachings on the nature of the human person[i] as well as Pope Leo XIII’s teaching on the nature of human liberty.[ii] Referring to her method, Maria boasted that ‘in its very substance (it) is Catholic!’[iii]

The General Directory for Catechesis states that ‘Catechetical methodology has the simple objective of education in the faith.’[iv] This being said, Maria Montessori offers us a unique ‘catechetical praxis’[v] that is both ‘faithful to man and faithful to God?’[vi]

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Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP, has been a member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, in Nashville, for over thirty years. During that time, she has been blessed to teach all ages, from three to ninety-three. She received a master of arts degree in education from Northwestern State University and a master of arts degree in theology with a specialization in catechetics from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Sr. Mary Michael conducted doctoral research into the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and the pedagogy of Dr. Maria Montessori and Dr. Sofia Cavalletti at the Maryvale Institute of Birmingham, England. She holds a PhD through Liverpool-Hope University in Liverpool, England. She has been trained in all three levels of the Catechesis of the Shepherd and has served as a Level One catechist. She has published articles in The Sower, The Catechetical Review, and Catechist. She is also the author of Following God's Pedagogy: Principles for Children's Catechesis. Sr. Mary Michael serves as a catechetical consultant and is a popular speaker at catechetical conferences.

This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

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Saints and Holy Men & Women

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31.4

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About Franciscan Catechetics

The Catechetics Degree Programs and the Catechetical Institute (CI) at Franciscan University of Steubenville work in concert to prepare clergy, religious and laity to join the “army of catechists” called for by St. John Paul II, eager to help the Church in her mission of making all nations joyful disciples of Jesus Christ. We combine a thorough formation in Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterial documents with training in effective pedagogical techniques to help those we serve to grasp the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Father’s plan, and to bear witness to others faithfully of the wonderful life of grace in the Holy Spirit.

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