The Bismarck Diocese is home to the very-first public association in the world dedicated to the Montessori method of education.
Bishop Kagan established the Servants of the Children of Light, a Public Association of the Christian Faithful for Women in view of becoming a religious institute of diocesan rite. The new public association is dedicated to contemplative prayer and focused on Catholic Montessori education.
The foundress and first member, Julie Jacobson, serves as a catechist in the atrium at the Christ the King Catholic Montessori School. She’s taken the new religious name Sister Chiara Thérèse and received her habit during an investiture Mass with Bishop Kagan on Oct. 1. She will take her first vows on Jan. 3, the Feast of the Epiphany. There, her white veil will be replaced with a black one signifying that she is professed.
Historic development
This is a historic development for the diocese and for Catholic Montessori education. The Italian physician and educator, Maria Montessori, is best known for the philosophy of education, bearing her name, that she studied and perfected more than 100 years ago. The Servants of the Children of Light is the very-first in the world devoted to the Montessori method of education.
Montessori’s method was founded on the observation that children who have the freedom to act independently in their learning space can succeed based on their personal educational needs. The guide’s role is to remove obstacles to this natural development and provide the children with opportunities to move forward and grow. Children become independent thinkers and problem-solvers through a hands-on learning method when they work at their own pace choosing their path along the way.
Christ the King School transitioned to the Montessori education model five years ago—a move likely credited with saving the school from closure. Enrollment had dropped drastically and the downward trend continued annually. The school at St. Joseph’s in Mandan was succumbing to the same fate before they adopted the Montessori model last year with all ages and grades through adolescents (8th grade) now learning under this system. In what Fr. Nick Schneider, who serves as the upper elementary guide and Montessori Mentor at Christ the King, described as both joyful and trying, the culture of the school has been renewed. “Enrollment doubled, and above all, the excitement of seeking holiness enkindled in the hearts of so many children.”
Establishment of the association
It was Maria Montessori’s dream that a religious institute would be founded upon the principles of the education model she developed, but most importantly to meet the needs of the child—a mission to which Maria devoted her life. The time was right for a Montessori-based public association to meet that need within the Bismarck Diocese.
Many different religious institutes for women with different charisms exist across the world. “Throughout history, we’ve seen God inspire religious institutes to respond to a need,” Fr. Schneider said. “We are blessed to see the seeds of Maria Montessori’s desire being actualized in our midst.”
Through much prayer and many conversations, Fr. Schneider and Sr. Chiara Thérèse witnessed the Lord’s Will manifesting itself in the new association. With Bishop Kagan’s support and canonical action, the Servants of the Children of Light was established.
A religious institute is distinguished by several essential characteristics. Namely, a particular charism (gift of the Holy Spirit), profession of the evangelical councils of poverty, chastity and obedience, a special apostolate and form of contemplative prayer, a rule of life, a distinctive habit and life lived in community.
The Servants will wear a distinct black and white habit. It was modeled after a modified Benedictine habit drawing from the rich spiritual heritage of the Benedictines who have a long and storied history in the diocese having laid the foundation for Catholic education in western North Dakota. Another distinct marker is the medal they wear of the “Madonna of the Chair” by Italian artist, Raphael, that depicts Our Lady holding the Child Jesus signifying her as the throne upon which Christ is seated. It perfectly represents what Maria Montessori wanted her schools to offer.
Discerning religious life
After spending a prolonged period of discernment with the Monastic Fraternity of Jerusalem in Montréal, sister felt the Lord calling her back to the diocese for a mission that was, at the time, unclear. “I’d felt a call for years,” she said. “The Lord was asking something of me, but I wasn’t sure what it was.” After finishing her training in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd a few years ago, it became clearer what the Lord was asking was coming to fruition.
Sister chose the name Chiara for her admiration and devotion to St. Clare of Assisi (Chiara is Clare in Italian) and for St. Thérèse of Lisieux. “I chose Chiara because it means ‘light’ in Italian and Thérèse for her childlike abandonment, a desire to live a childlike obedience.”
The association was established on Oct. 1, the Feast Day of St. Thérèse, one of the new association’s patronesses. The Scripture passage, proper to the memorial of St. Therese, proclaimed at the investiture Mass was Matthew 18:1-4. “…Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Even though it wasn’t planned, sister said it couldn’t have been more fitting Scripture for an apostolate dedicated to serving Christ through the child.
Sister Chiara Thérèse said that, first and foremost, a woman discerning religious life like one with the Servants should ask herself if she desires to be the spouse of Christ in a life of contemplative prayer. “Then, she should ask if the particular apostolate and mission of the order is a good fit,” she noted.
Being the first-ever public association with the apostolate focused on Montessori education, the Servants quickly became popular once the word got out. News of the investiture Mass was shared on a Catholic Montessori Facebook page prompting Sr. Chiara Thérèse to receive inquiries from as far away as Indonesia, Australia and Canada as well as several locations around the United States.
“Someone who had contacted us said that they had tried to start a religious institute devoted to Montessori education and it failed for various reasons,” Fr. Schneider said. “They said they had been praying for 25 years that Maria’s dream would come to fruition.”
Sister added, “During Bishop Kagan’s homily at the investiture Mass, he said it was a historic day for the diocese because we have the very first public association devoted to Montessori. It’s pretty amazing that the Lord chose this diocese to start it.”
The Servants of the Children of Light is open to all Catholic women between the ages of 18-30 years old, have never been married, are a Catholic in good standing with the Church and have sufficient health and emotional maturity. Those seeking more information should contact Sr. Chiara Thérèse at Christ the King Catholic Montessori School, 505 10th Ave. NW, Mandan, ND 58554. More information can be found at
servantsofthechildrenoflight.org.
Of note, the Servants are also looking for a residence, ideally a house that is suited for or could be converted to communal living. If anyone has a house in or near the Bismarck/Mandan area that they are willing to donate to the new public association, please contact sister at the above address.