Pope Francis has spoken of Maria Montessori as a "distinguished educator," saying she is "among the most eminent figures of 20th-century culture."
The Pope praised the Catholic trailblazer who formulated the pedagogical system now widely embraced in schools and by families around the world.
She "left a profound mark on the field of education and on society as a whole," the Holy Father said.
The Pope expressed these thoughts through a message sent by his secretary of state to an international conference in Rome marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Montessori.
In addition to Montessori's educational method, she also wrote extensively about the religious experience of the child, and how to foster it.
In fact, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program is linked to her work.
