Supporting religious and pro-social education in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd within the cognitive-developmental framework of integral religious development

Research objectives and problem(s): This article aims to identify practical approaches to religious and pro-social (moral) education within the pedagogical framework developed in Rome during the 1950s by Sofia Cavalletti, known as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). The central research question guiding this study is: How does the CGS program support the religious education and pro-social development of preschool children in the context of the cognitive-developmental concept of integral religious development? Research methods: To address these questions, we employed a method of document content analysis. The religious education content and its delivery methods were examined through an analysis of the CGS curriculum and methodological guides for children aged three to six years. Process of argumentation: The article consists of an introduction and justification for the choice of topic, a presentation of methodological assumptions, an analysis of the literature to present the research context, research results in accordance with the research problem, conclusions and discussion. Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: A psychological and pedagogical analysis of the CGS program, viewed through the lens of holistic child development, suggests that it effectively integrates (a) the individual characteristics of the child, including age, psychological traits, religious socialization, and prior knowledge based on physical and psychological experiences; (b) the characteristics and role of the adults introducing the child to the faith, particularly the nature and quality of the relationship with the child; and (c) the content and delivery of religious knowledge. Conclusions and/or recommendations: Formal catechesis is important in supporting the religious development of preschool children as it complements the foundational experiences gained within the family. It considers the development of the child’s religious awareness according to their unique religious disposition and their ways of understanding and perceiving reality. Cavalletti’s content arrangement is kerygmatic, and fosters a relationship with a personal God, which forms the basis for pro-social (moral) development in subsequent stages of religious education.