After a 20-year run of Senior Synthesis, Brophy College Preparatory introduces its new Ignatian Capstone class, developed through an 18-month collaborative effort to better meet students’ post-COVID spiritual needs.
“Our ultimate objective in every class, but especially this class, is to encounter God,” said Mrs. Megan Agliano, Religion Department Chair.
The curriculum, developed by a team including Mr. Drew Rau ’02, Mr. Bryce Deline, Mr. Jim Grindey, Mr. Myles Kelley , and Mrs. Megan Agliano, aims to create an environment where students can explore their personal spiritual questions.
Mrs Agliano expanded on your spiritual question defining it as an individual contemplation on where your life is at and where you’d want your life to end up going.
“We need to almost take a step back, and create space for kids to figure out what their actual question is. “And that question is personal – I can’t tell you what your question is.” Mrs. Agliano said.
Student response has been positive. John Hazen ’25 compared the experience to Kairos, noting the supportive atmosphere that fostered brotherhood and open discussion. The class emphasizes helping students identify their spiritual path while removing what Mrs. Agliano describes as “disordered attachments,” defined as an emotional attachment to something or someone who leads you further from God.
A key component of the program is the “Fourth Day” retreat, held at Brophy’s Meadowbrook home. The property, acquired approximately two years ago, serves as both a retreat center and meeting space, providing what Mrs. Agliano calls a beneficial “disconnect from campus while remaining accessible.”
The new program connects with Brophy’s Ignition/Workout program, which Mrs. Agliano describes it as “2.0 of capstone,” representing an evolution from the previous system. This integration demonstrates Brophy’s commitment to creating a comprehensive spiritual development program for its students.
(This article was written using AI. The reporter takes responsibility for the piece by gathering, editing and verifying all included content.)