Faculty and Staff Reflect on the Life of Ignatius During Retreat

A faculty member reflects on the Ignatian Pilgrimage during Fordham Prep's Faculty/Staff Retreat.

Fordham Prep’s first Faculty/Staff Retreat Day of the 2021-22 school year focused on the life of Ignatius in honor of the Ignatian Year. 

Joined by faculty and staff from St. Ignatius School, participants started the day on September 24, 2021 with breakfast in the Commons. Before breaking up into groups to embark on an Ignatian Pilgrimage, St. Ignatius School staff members led prayer.  

For the Ignatian Pilgrimage, a gallery of posters featuring images and text told the story of each stage of Ignatius’s life (soldier, pilgrim, student, founder), was set up in four different sites around the school. Sites offered a brief presentation by Director of Campus Ministry Mike Kravatz, Fr. Marchionni, Principal Dr. Joseph Petriello, and Fr. Devron respectfully before participants were invited to reflect in silence. 

Vice President for Mission Integration & Planning Brian Carney introduces Fr. Tom Benz for a keynote speech. 

Following the Ignatian Pilgrimage, the Prep welcomed back former faculty member and current Jesuit East Provincial Assistant for Pastoral and International Ministries Fr. Tom Benz. He took the podium in Leonard Theatre for a keynote speech titled Cannonballs, Convalescence, and Conversions. The keynote reinforced what participants had time to reflect on during the Ignatian Pilgrimage as Fr. Benz asked them to think about their conversions for the new school year. 

The retreat required participants to break up into groups again for Mission Reflections. Prior to the day of the retreat, faculty and staff chose one of three session options they were most interested in participating in. The sessions encouraged further reflection on the Universal Apostolic Preferences while exploring ways to care for the environment, promote cultural inclusivity, and the embody the Spiritual Exercises.  

Groups shuffled off to meet with their respective departments for Discernment Discussions once Mission Reflections had ended. These discussions allowed participants to express gratitude and think about their desires for the school year. Mass led by Fr. Benz and Fr. Marchionni at the Fordham University Chapel followed. 

Although the weather forecast called for rain, it ended up being a cool, sunny day, leading participants to end the retreat with an outdoor barbeque on the Mentor’s Court. The unexpected forecast reminded participants of how blessed they were to be able to gather in person after over a year of virtual and hybrid events.