In Catechesis of The Good Shepherd, the method used is designed to assist the involvement of children and adults in a common religious experience in which the religious values of childhood, primarily those values of contemplation and enjoyment of God, are predominant.
We believe that God and the child have a unique relationship with one another particularly before the age of six and that the growth of this relationship should be assisted by the adult, but is actually directed by the Holy Spirit within the child. Children need their own place to foster the growth of that relationship.
Sofia Cavalletti, along with her colleague Gianna Gobbi, began to work with children in 1954 in the area of children’s religious formation. She was first inspired to understand children’s spirituality, following a discussion over a passage of scripture with several children. The children’s engagement with and response to the discussion caused her to seek a deeper understanding of the relationship between God and the child and, after much study, she developed a program to help the children to “experience God."
We have been blessed to share in these experiences with the little children and witness their awe and their joy as they grow in their spiritual journey.
For a three minute video explanation see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwO_CWLKwOE