We are grateful to all those who shared memories with us to honor Sofia Cavalletti on the occassion of her centenary.
As we celebrate her birth on August 21, we also pause to remember her on the anniversary of her death, August 23, 2011.
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.
Her experiences and insights are well-documented through her books such as The Religious Potential of the Child, The Religious Potential of the Child and The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey, as well as in numerous articles which may be found in the annual Journal of the National Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
August 21, 2017 is the centenary of Sofia Cavalletti’s birth, and to remember and celebrate her wisdom and joy, the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is inviting all involved in the work with children to share their “mustard seed of wisdom” for 100 days.
WEEK ONE: Days 100 through 94: May 13 - 19, 2017
60th Anniversary Celebration, Day 94, 98
Beginning of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 100
Bert O’Bryan, Day 100
Found Sheep, Alex age 5, Day 99
I can see Jesus in you! video, Day 95
Kerri Mecke-Lozano, Day 97
Mustard Seed Documentary, Day 100
My Montessorri Shoes: Equipping the Feet of Ministry by Anne- Marie Vega, Day 96
Diane Olsen, Day 98
Anne- Marie Vega, Day 96
WEEK TWO: Days 93 through 87: May 20 - 26, 2017
32 Characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 91
Alleluia, Day 93
Ann Garrido, Day 93
Bettie Francis Comas, Day 88
Holy Family Catechetical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, Day 89
Isaiah 40:11, Day 92
Kingdom of God, Day 88
Marty O’Bryan, Day 89
Micah Garrido, Day 93
Sr. Monica Vianney Le, OP , 90
Mary Alice Teller, Day 91
Heather Morgan, Day 92
Mustard Seed, Day 88
Mustard Seed Moment, Day 93
Prayer, Day 93
Psalm 23, Day 87
Theresa Vandercar, Day 87
The Call to Be a Catechist, Day 90
WEEK THREE: Days 86-80: May 27 - June 2, 2017
Andrew, age 4 “I wish I could stay here forever”, Day 83
Annette Venegas, Day 80
Autumn Domingue, Day 85
Daniella Aquino, Day 80
Daria Raney, “The Gift of Presence”, Day 84
Dee Anna Garland, Day 83
Elyce Pascha, Day 80
Fr. Gerald Horan, Day 80
Katie Dawson, Day 80
Laura Webb, Day 86
Lost Sheep, Day 81
Katie Brocklehurst, Day 81
Mystery of Life and Death, Day 86
Orange County Catholic Radio, Day 80
WEEK FOUR: Days 79 through 73: June 3 - 9, 2017
Betty Hissong, Day 73
Genna: “God is always with us.”, Day 78
God’s gifts, Day 74
Helen Lindley, Day 74
Kingdom of God, Day 79
Kingdom of God Song, Day 77
Lani Bogart, Day 76
Mustard Seed, Day 76
Parousia, Day 75
Pentecost, Day 78
Sandy Roney, Day 79
Sue Van Hersett, Day 75
WEEK FIVE: Days 72 - 66: June 10 - 16, 2017
Anne Marie Vega, Day 67
A Way of Experiencing God, Day 66
Barbara Matera, Day 66
Eileen Bently, Day 70
Gesu Parish, Detroit, Day 70
Luke, age 11, St Francis Cabrini Church, True Vine image, Day 71
Margie Saur, Day 72
Mustard Seed, Day 72
Sr. Nancy Ayotte, IHM, Day 70
Norma Walsh, Day 68
The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 69
True Vine, Day 71
WEEK SIX: Days 65-59: June 17 - 23, 2017
Betty Hissong, Day 64
Carol Dittberner, Day 65
Feast of Corpus Christi, Day 64
Gift of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 59
Holy Bible, Day 60
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 65
Jessie Klatt, Day 62
Mystical Body of Christ, Day 64
Naomi Flansburg, Day 63
Patti Franz, Day 59
Responding to Love with Love, Day 62
Sharon Mecke, Day 61
Vicki Schiavolin, Day 60
WEEK SEVEN: Days 58 - 52: June 24 - 30, 2017
An Open Letter to Parents of 3-6 Year Olds from a Parent of Teens, Day 54
Anna Guida, Day 58
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Cultivating the Christian Imagination of the Child, Day 56
Catholic Schools, MN, Day 53
Dan Teller, Day 55
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 58
Jennifer, age 9 from Gilbert AZ, “True Vine”, Day 57
Jessica Keating, Day 56
Maris Wimberly, Day 52
Matt Swain from Sacred Heart Radio’s SonRise Morning Show in Ohio, Day 55
Maureen Lodoen, Day 53
Our Lady of Sorrows Church and School in Homewood, AL, Day 52
Unworthy Servant, Day 52
WEEK EIGHT: Days 51-45: July 1 - 7, 2017
An Act of Faith: a Parent’s Experience of the Atrium. Day 46
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Northeast England, Day 47
“Children of the Light”, Day 48
Claire Fyrqvist, Day 46
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 51
Jessica Keating, 49
Linda Kaiel, Day 51
Luz del Carmen Serrelli, Day 45
Medi Ann Volpe, Day 47
Patrica Stenton, Day 48
Sacramental Formation in a Secular Age, Day 49
The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 50
True Vine, Day 48
WEEK NINE: Days 44-38: July 8 - 14, 2017
Atrium (poem), Day 39
Catherine Maresca, Day 39
Charlene Dorman, Day 41
Echoes, Center for Children and Theology, Day 39
Ellen Dolphus, Day 38
Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Athens, GA, Day 38
Inez Gonsalez, Day 44
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 44
Little Lam (Rachel, age 9), Day 43
Love of the Good Shepherd, Day 42
Mary and Clare Heinrich, Day 40
Mustard Seed, Day 41
Patrica Stenton, Day 42
Pearl Merchant, Day 43
True Vine, Day 40
WEEK TEN: Days 37 -31: July 15 - 21, 2017
Anna Guida, Day 35
First Communion reflection, Day 36
Found Sheep, Day 35
John and Tina Lillig, Day 37
Julie Killian, Day 34
Kathleen Marie Garness, Day 32
Little Gospels, Day 32
Louise Fillion, Day 33
Mustard Seed, Day 33
Atrium Notre Dame de Lorette in Lorette, Manitoba, Canada, Day 33
Parousia, Day 34
Reflection of a Catechist, Day 37
Sue Perna, Day 31
True Vine, Day 31
Zoe, age 10, reflection on her first communion, Day 36
WEEK ELEVEN: Days 30-24: July 22 - 28, 2017
Africa, Day 24
Carol Dittberner, Day 24
CGS Catechist Formation, Day 25
Claudia Margarita Schmitt. Day 30
Celine Mitchell, and Granddaughter, Lori, Day 28
Good Shepherd, Day 29, 26
Good Shepherd and the Mass, Day 28
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 30
Joann Terranova, Day 27
Linda Allen, Day 26
Nathaniel from St. Aloysius Church in Creston, PA is four years old, Day 29
Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG) and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 27
Sarah Thacker, Day 25
WEEK TWELVE: Days 23-17: July 29 - August 4, 2017
Annual Meeting, Day 21
Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center in Federal Way, WA, Day 21
Becky and Veronica Jennings, Day 18
“Innamoramento”, Day 20
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 23
Katy Beetle Rice, Day 20
Kingdom of Heaven and the Pearl of Great Price, Day 22
Maria Montessori, Day 18
Mary Beth Palko, Day 19
Meghan, 3rd grade, Day 22
Mustard Seed, Day 19
Patricia Stenton, Day 23
St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Flushing, Michigan, Day 22
WEEK THIRTEEN: Days 16-10: August 5 - 11, 2017
Beate Beucher, Day 13
Betty Hissong, Day 14
Catherine Maresca, Day 16
Eucharistic Presence of the Good Shepherd, Day 15
Ex-Bambini, Day 11
Ex-Bambini,Becca, 24 – Catholic Campus Minister, University of Illinois, Day 11
Ex-Bambini,Laura, 25 – Recreational Therapist with mentally challenged children, Day 11
Ex-Bambini, Anna, 23 – Catholic Campus Missionary with FOCUS, Day 11
Ex-Bambini,Melina, 24, Engineer, Day 11
First Communion Retreat, Day 15
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 16, 10
Language of Signs, Day 13
Marshall, five yrs. old and Samantha, three yrs. old, Day 12
Mary Polta, Day 10
Matthew, age nine, Day 15
Pentecost, Day 14
Raina Lewis, Day 11
S. Mary Elizabeth Klier, OSF, Day 12
WEEK FOURTEEN: Days 9-3: August 12 - 18, 2017
Augusta Poluzzi, Day 7, 4
Bert and Marty O’Bryan, Day 6, 5, 3
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 9, 7, 4
Luptia Palafox, Day 9
Maria Christlieb, Day 5
Mustard Seed, Day 7
The Mustard Seed Documentary, Day 6, 5, 3
Nostra Signora Di Lourdes in Rome (Our Lady of Lourdes) on February 13, 1983, Day 3
Pope John Paul II, Day 3
Rebekah Rojcewicz, Day 7, 6
Sofia Cavalleti, Day 8
Tilde Cocchini, Day 3
WEEK FIFTEEN: Days 2 and 1: August 19 - 20, 2017
List of author, subject, keywords
“Innamoramento”, Day 20
32 Characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 91
60th Anniversary Celebration, Day 94, 98
A Way of Experiencing God, Day 66
Africa, Day 24
Alleluia, Day 93
An Act of Faith: a Parent’s Experience of the Atrium. Day 46
An Open Letter to Parents of 3-6 Year Olds from a Parent of Teens, Day 54
Andrew, age 4 “I wish I could stay here forever”, Day 83
Ann Garrido, Day 93, 58, 35
Anne Marie Vega, Day 67, 96
Annette Venegas, Day 80
Annual Meeting, Day 21
Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center in Federal Way, WA, Day 21
Atrium (poem), Day 39
Atrium Notre Dame de Lorette in Lorette, Manitoba, Canada, Day 33
Augusta Poluzzi, Day 7, 4
Autumn Domingue, Day 85
Barbara Matera, Day 66
Beate Beucher, Day 13
Becky and Veronica Jennings, Day 18
Beginning of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 100
Bert and Marty O’Bryan, Day 6, 5, 3
Bert O’Bryan, Day 100, 2
Bettie Francis Comas, Day 88
Betty Hissong, Day 14, 64, 73
Carol Dittberner, Day 24, 65
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Northeast England, Day 47
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Cultivating the Christian Imagination of the Child, Day 56
Catherine Maresca, Day 16, 3
Catholic Schools, MN, Day 53
Celine Mitchell, and Granddaughter, Lori, Day 28
CGS Catechist Formation, Day 25
Charlene Dorman, Day 41
Claire Fyrqvist, Day 46
Claudia Margarita Schmitt. Day 30
Dan Teller, Day 55
Daniella Aquino, Day 80
Daria Raney, “The Gift of Presence”, Day 84
Dee Anna Garland, Day 83
Diane Olsen, Day 98
Echoes, Center for Children and Theology, Day 39
Eileen Bently, Day 70
Ellen Dolphus, Day 38
Elyce Pascha, Day 80
Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Athens, GA, Day 38
Eucharistic Presence of the Good Shepherd, Day 15
Ex-Bambini, Anna, 23 – Catholic Campus Missionary with FOCUS, Day 11
Ex-Bambini, Day 11
Ex-Bambini,Becca, 24 – Catholic Campus Minister, University of Illinois, Day 11
Ex-Bambini,Laura, 25 – Recreational Therapist with mentally challenged children, Day 11
Ex-Bambini,Melina, 24, Engineer, Day 11
Feast of Corpus Christi, Day 64
First Communion reflection, Day 36
First Communion Retreat, Day 15
Found Sheep, Alex age 5, Day 99
Found Sheep, Day 35
Fr. Gerald Horan, Day 80
Genna: “God is always with us.”, Day 78
Gesu Parish, Detroit, Day 70
Gift of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 59
God’s gifts, Day 74
Good Shepherd and the Mass, Day 28
Good Shepherd image, Rome Atria, age 5, Day 1
Good Shepherd, Day 29, 26
Heather Morgan, Day 92
Helen Lindley, Day 74
Holy Bible, Day 60
Holy Family Catechetical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, Day 89
I can see Jesus in you! video, Day 95
Inez Gonsalez, Day 44
International Celebration of 60 years of CGS, Day 65, 58, 51, 44, 30, 23, 16, 10, 9, 7, 4
Isaiah 40:11, Day 92
Jennifer, age 9 from Gilbert AZ, “True Vine”, Day 57
Jessica Keating, Day 49, 56
Jessie Klatt, Day 62
Joann Terranova, Day 27
John and Tina Lillig, Day 37
Julie Killian, Day 34
Kathleen Marie Garness, Day 32
Katie Brocklehurst, Day 81
Katie Dawson, Day 80
Katy Beetle Rice, Day 20
Kerri Mecke-Lozano, Day 97
Kingdom of God Song, Day 77
Kingdom of God, Day 79, 88
Kingdom of Heaven and the Pearl of Great Price, Day 22
Language of Signs, Day 13
Lani Bogart, Day 76
Laura Webb, Day 86
Linda Allen, Day 26
Linda Kaiel, Day 51
Little Gospels, Day 32
Little Lam (Rachel, age 9), Day 43
Lost Sheep, Day 81
Louise Fillion, Day 33
Love of the Good Shepherd, Day 42
Luke, age 11, St Francis Cabrini Church, True Vine image, Day 71
Luptia Palafox, Day 9
Luz del Carmen Serrelli, Day 45
Margie Saur, Day 72
Maria Christlieb, Day 5
Maria Montessori, Day 18
Maris Wimberly, Day 52
Marshall, five yrs. old and Samantha, three yrs. old, Day 12
Marty O’Bryan, Day 89
Mary Alice Teller, Day 91
Mary and Clare Heinrich, Day 40
Mary Beth Palko, Day 19
Mary Polta, Day 10
Matt Swain from Sacred Heart Radio’s SonRise Morning Show in Ohio, Day 55
Matthew, age nine, Day 15
Maureen Lodoen, Day 53
Medi Ann Volpe, Day 47
Meghan, 3rd grade, Day 22
Micah Garrido, Day 93
Mustard Seed Documentary, Day 2, 100
Mustard Seed Moment, Day 93
Mustard Seed, Day 7, 19, 33. 41, 72, 76, 88
My Montessorri Shoes: Equipping the Feet of Ministry by Anne- Marie Vega, Day 96
Mystery of Life and Death, Day 86
Mystical Body of Christ, Day 64
Naomi Flansburg, Day 63
Nathaniel from St. Aloysius Church in Creston, PA is four years old, Day 29
Norma Walsh, Day 68
Nostra Signora Di Lourdes in Rome (Our Lady of Lourdes) on February 13, 1983, Day 3
Orange County Catholic Radio, Day 80
Our Lady of Sorrows Church and School in Homewood, AL, Day 52
Parousia Day 34, 75
Patrica Stenton, Day 23, 42, 48
Patti Franz, Day 59
Pearl Merchant, Day 43
Pentecost, Day 14, 78
Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG) and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 27
Pope John Paul II, Day 3
Prayer, Day 93
Psalm 23, Day 87
Raina Lewis, Day 11
Rebekah Rojcewicz, Day 7, 6
Reflection of a Catechist, Day 37
Responding to Love with Love, Day 62
S. Mary Elizabeth Klier, OSF, Day 12
Sacramental Formation in a Secular Age, Day 49
Sandy Roney, Day 79
Sarah Thacker, Day 25
Sharon Mecke, Day 61
Sofia Cavalleti, Day 8
Sr. Monica Vianney Le, OP , 90
Sr. Nancy Ayotte, IHM, Day 70
St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Flushing, Michigan, Day 22
Sue Perna, Day 31
Sue Van Hersett, Day 75
The Call to Be a Catechist, Day 90
The Development of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Inside the Atria in Rome, Day 1
The joy and seriousness of the child, Day 2
The Mustard Seed Documentary, Day 6, 5, 3
The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Day 50, 69
Theresa Vandercar, Day 87
Tilde Cocchini, Day 3
True Vine, Day 31, 40, 48, 71
Unworthy Servant, Day 52
Vicki Schiavolin, Day 60
Zoe, age 10, reflection on her first communion, Day 36