Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, from which GSMS derives its name, is a Montessori-based religious formation process for children. Founded over fifty years ago in Rome by Hebrew Scripture scholar Sofia Cavalletti and Montessorian Gianna Gobbi, it has found its way to many countries on many continents.

A process that respects the natural inclination of the child toward a relationship with a compassionate, loving God, the Catechesis offers the child one afternoon a week in contemplation of this relationship. The atrium, the space where the Catechesis happens, is a retreat-like atmosphere where the child can hear the still, quiet voice of God and the catechist can, to use the title of one of Gianna Gobbi’s books, “listen to God with children.”

At GSMS the spiritual development of the child occupies the same level of prominence as does intellectual, emotional, and social development. Although the context for spiritual formation is a Catholic Christian catechesis, the flexibility provided by the Montessori Method and non-proselytizing nature of our approach has made it a spiritually deepening experience for families of all faiths and levels of religious engagement.

For more information, please visit the website of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.