Way of Holy Joy
Selected
Writings of Sofia Cavalletti
Selected writings of Sofia Cavaletti. A compilation of writings by the
co-founder of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, focuses on the spiritual
life of the child. With the exception of one, these have not previously been
published in English. As the title suggests, these essays shine a light on an
often overlooked spiritual reality: the joy that is found in the relationship
between God and the Child.
A scholar of Hebrew Scriptures and co-founder of the Catechesis of the
Good Shepherd, Cavalletti devoted 50 years to observing children as they
encountered God in the Bible, in the Liturgy, and in the sacraments. Her
appreciation of the child's response, coupled with her own theological
insights, provides the reader with a fresh yet profound understanding of why
Jesus tells us that we must become like little children if we want to enter the
Kingdom of God. The titles of two of the essays, "The Child as
Parable" and "The Child as Peace," convey something of this
significance.
Sofia Cavalletti is most readily associated with the Catechesis of the Good
Shepherd, an approach to the spiritual formation of children that she developed
with Gianna Gobbi and to which she gave her unflagging energy and attention
even into her 90s. She also sought to share the fruits of this work through her
writing. The essays included in this volume, which is being published shortly
after her death in August 2011, also reflect her involvement with the wider
church community, including her work on the relationship between the Catholic
and Jewish faiths. Those interested in children's spirituality will find these
essays a source of inspiration and insight. Perhaps more importantly, all who
seek to live out their baptismal calling as Christians will benefit from
meditating on these reflections. One of the most important, though perhaps
unintended, effects of Cavalletti's work has been its impact on adults. By
focusing on what is most essential, what is at the heart of faith - a
relationship with a Person - many have discovered for themselves this "way
of holy joy."
Specifications: Paperback / 6" x 9" / 96 pages.
