FROM THE PRINCIPAL
FOLLOWING IN IGNATIUS ’ FOOTSTEPS
A Q & A with Joseph A . Petriello , PhD ’ 98
St . Ignatius Loyola by Francisco de Zurbarán . Courtesy of Art . co . uk , Public Domain , Wikimedia Commons .
Q :
There are so many unique ways our Jesuit identity is present in daily life at the Prep . Can you talk about one of your favorite ways ?
Q :
Ignatius was , at his heart , a teacher . How would he describe the faculty at Fordham Prep ?
Q :
Inherent in our mission is to teach our students to be critical thinkers . Is there a specific course or program that comes to mind which does this well ?
Q :
In this Ignatian year , we are called to follow in Ignatius ’ footsteps . Which is your favorite story of Ignatius ?
A :
Every Friday morning , the Prep community pauses together to pray the Ignatian
Examen as our morning prayer . The Examen is truly one of St . Ignatius Loyola ’ s greatest gifts to the Church and the world . It is a moment for our entire community to look back on our week and to discover where God was present in our daily experiences . This time of quiet reflection is a grace through which our Jesuit identity comes alive in such a simple , yet profound way . I ’ m always moved to see how silent and engaged our students become at this time of the week and know that God is drawing them closer to God ’ s love .
A :
Ignatius was an inspiring teacher first and foremost because he never stopped learning . He was both a student and teacher at heart . Ignatius experienced God as a teacher would care for a student during his Spiritual Exercises . I think that he would describe the Prep faculty as compassionate teachers who are worldly , engaged , and deliver their lessons with astute depth , humor , and grace . As Ignatian educators , our faculty place the care and education of their students at the center of their instruction , their coaching , and their guidance on retreats , service trips , and so many other experiences of school life . Ignatius would be proud that for our faculty who they teach comes before what they teach .
A :
It would be somewhat unfair for me to highlight just one course or program at the Prep that does this very well , because I know that it happens across the curriculum . In one respect , courses like AP Statistics , Engineering Science , and Computer Science Honors focus on student-centered , project-based learning . These classes are filled with students actively working on experiments and problems that open them to collaborative learning , as are many other classes in Mathematics , Science , and Technology . In another respect , each of our humanities courses in Classics , English , Religious Studies , and Social Studies provide our young men with opportunities to craft their oral arguments , refine their writing , and wrestle with questions of meaning and purpose . Critical thinking around art , music , and theater is , of course , also alive and well in our Visual and Performing Arts classes .
A :
My favorite story from the life of Ignatius is his desire for education as a means to “ help souls .” In 1524 , he returned to Barcelona to attend a free public grammar school to prepare himself for university studies . So at the age of 33 , Ignatius studied Latin grammar with classmates around the ages of 8 to 14 . This moment in Ignatius ’ story is wonderfully depicted in art , and I always find it to be a reminder of his humility and generosity of spirit . One important part of this story that should not be forgotten is that during Ignatius ’ two years in Barcelona , he studied under his “ most beloved ” teacher , Master Jeronimo Ardevol , who influenced him more than any other professor at the universities of Acala , Salamanca , or Paris . It reminds me how much of an impact our faculty have on the lives of our own students here at the Prep ( and especially in Latin class !).
SPRING 2022 VOLUME 42 , ISSUE 2
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