UMary launches world’s first Catholic Montessori institute

CNA Staff, Jun 24, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The University of Mary has launched the world’s first Catholic Montessori Institute (CMI), making the institute the go-to place for certification in Catholic Montessori education.

Montessori has grown popular in both secular and religious spaces since its founding by Dr. Maria Montessori (1870–1952), a practicing Catholic who developed a way of teaching young children about God according to their own needs.

University of Mary, a small liberal arts college in North Dakota, will serve as the home for the new institute, which organizers hope will become the center of Catholic Montessori education.

JoAnne Schulzetenberg, the executive director and visionary for the program, said she plans for the institute to become a center for networking, mentorship, and connection.

“I envision a worldwide network where individuals — whether establishing new environments, enhancing existing ones, or simply seeking guidance — can come together to connect, find mentorship, and inspire future generations to continue the Montessori tradition,” she told CNA.

Schulzetenberg, who has spent more than 20 years as a Montessori practitioner, said she hopes the program will bring new life to Catholic education.

Montessori education prioritizes holistic development, emotional and cognitive growth, intrinsic motivation, community engagement, and global citizenship, according to Schulzetenberg.

“Dr. Montessori’s method emphasizes respect for each child’s unique development, encouraging autonomy, exploration, and intellectual, social, and emotional growth,” Schulzetenberg said.

“She specifically designed materials and an environment to influence mainstream education and special education,” Schulzetenberg said. “This was incredibly important as her method could be utilized in every culture across the globe.”

An estimated 22,000 Montessori education programs exist across 110 countries — but the institute is the first of its kind.

“It is my prayer that this movement will revive and strengthen Catholic schools at risk of closure, breathing new life into Catholic education on a global scale,” she said.

All students and educators seeking CMI certification will begin their training at University of Mary followed by both in-person and online courses over a year. The training program will be run by the Association Montessori Internationale, the organization Montessori co-founded “to safeguard the method’s integrity, ensuring faithful transmission across generations to come,” according to Schulzetenberg. In addition, UMary already offers a fully online master of education degree in Catholic Montessori.

Schulzetenberg said she hopes the institute will “cultivate a global community of Montessori educators who are committed to integrating Dr. Maria Montessori’s authentic pedagogy with their Catholic faith.”