Mission & Philosophy

 

As a Catholic Montessori school, St. Catherine’s is dedicated to an educational experience which awakens in our students the awareness of their gifts and responsibilities as individuals in relationship with Jesus Christ and as stewards of the global community.

 

Dr. Maria Montessori frequently described the inner wisdom inherent in all human beings and envisioned education as a spiritual mission to unleash each child’s inner potential. In The Secret of Childhood she writes, “Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make [them] learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within [them] that light which is called intelligence.” Montessori believed that, properly nurtured, each child’s wisdom radiates outward to create a more peaceful world.

 

Our Catholic vocation is to nurture and reveal the Spirit of God within each child. Revealing one’s inner light is an aspect of service to God outlined in the Gospel of Matthew. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and
glorify your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

 

The complementary messages of our Montessori and Catholic heritages are perhaps most simply summarized by our guiding philosophy: “Bringing Wisdom to Light.” As an AMI school, St. Catherine’s follows the curriculum and traditions established by Dr. Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago. More than simply a method of education, the Montessori approach fosters the development of the whole child - intellectually, physically, socially, morally, and spiritually. As a Catholic community, St. Catherine’s additionally nurtures children’s spiritual development so that each student may experience the presence of God both individually and in community.