Here at last is the long-awaited continuation of
The Religious Potential of the Child
(from 3 to 6 years old). The author, Sofia Cavaletti, founder of the
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, describes an approach to the religious
education of children according to the methods of Maria Montessori,
which has gained worldwide attention. In this book she draws on her long
experience with children from diverse cultures and environments to
describe the vital religious needs of the older child (6 to 12 years
old).
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for the older child builds on the
foundation in scripture and liturgy offered to the younger child (3 to 6
years old). The theme of the covenant between God and humankind, first
revealed to the people of Israel, is expanded to include the dimension
of time: all of history, from creation to the parousia. For the older
child, awareness of participation in this covenant relationship leads
spontaneously to a sense of moral responsibility, and of engagement with
the cosmos in all its manifestations.
This book will be a great help to educators and catechists who seek
to understand the characteristics of the older child, particularly the
child’s relationship with the mystery of God.
