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The spiritual preparation of the adult who works with children is an ongoing process. As catechists this process renders us bit by bit more humble as we grow in our trust in the child and her relationship with God, a relationship that needs our support but not our interference, our attention but not our control.
This edition explores Maria Montessori’s understanding of the spiritual preparation of the adult and also draws on the wisdom of seasoned catechists who share their own practices for spiritual growth.
File: PDF
Journal: Echoes: Volume 3:2 (1999)
This file is offered as a single use digital download. Please direct others to CCTheo for their own copy.
What is the spiritual preparation of the adult that Maria Montessori advocated for and how do we experience and implement it in our lives as catechists?
Introduction to this Echoes journal:
I invited Emily, age 7, to a lesson one day. “Oh good,” she accepted happily, “I love all those questions.”
Can we fill in the unspoken sentiments of Emily’s answer? She likes questions better than answers. She wants to think for herself. She has confidence in the ability of her group to process the possibilities of a parable. She does not want the catechist to answer the questions posed by the text. Emily and her friends are old enough to articulate their ideas as they explore a parable. Three-and four-year-old children are rarely able to do this. Yet their sentiments are the same, I believe. They, too, would rather hear questions than answers.
The struggle within ourselves to allow the children this freedom may be a great one. Maria Montessori recognized it and wrote in several books about the spiritual preparation of the teacher of young children. It is an ongoing process that renders us bit by bit more humbled by and trusting in the child and her relationship with God, a relationship that needs our support but not our interference, our attention but not our control.
This issue of ECHOES is a compilation of the thoughts and anecdotes of catechists engaged in this spiritual preparation, in some cases for many years. We hope to encourage one another in our own journey to freedom for both the child and ourselves.
—Catherine Maresca
Inside this edition:
ECHOES is a tool for sharing the rich spirituality of the child, complementing course discussions, and deepening understanding of CGS.
The complete digital collection is available for purchase here.
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