I have now spent the past six years of my life in a Jesuit learning environment and as most know that comes with a lot of reflection. In fact, I probably spent at least a third of my high school career reflecting.
All of this, often tedious, reflecting has led to a deep appreciation for a Jesuit education that certainly would have shocked the girl who chose a Jesuit high school on a bit of a whim.
I left my Catholic middle school with a very negative outlook toward religious education and an understanding that I was definitely an atheist.
I had chosen a high school that I knew was Jesuit with the idea that they were probably a little more relaxed about the whole religion thing. Now I could not be more grateful that I did.
My experiences at a Jesuit high school absolutely shaped me into the person I am today, but I didn’t initially appreciate this experience. Retreats were the bane of my existence and theology class bored me beyond belief.
I didn’t fully understand how lucky I was to be there until I was an upperclassman.
I went into my junior year theology class expecting very little. The class was literally called The Bible and I was most certainly dreading it. I spent the first week trying to bait my teacher into an argument out of some combination of boredom and annoyance.
Thankfully, it never worked. My teacher answered every question I had with thoughtfulness and humility that I had yet to really experience from a religious teacher. He opened the very first class by explaining why he wanted to teach us about the Bible.
He said that one does not have to be religious to gain something from the Bible. Instead one just has to look at the impact it has had on the world. For better or for worse, the Bible is one of the most important historical and cultural documents we have access to.
That class heavily impacted the way I viewed all religions. Whether we like it or not, our world has been shaped by religion and learning about it can sharpen our insight into human nature. But more importantly, I realized that I did not have to necessarily subscribe to a faith to take something meaningful from it.
My new thoughts and beliefs were cemented on the final retreat I had to go on during my senior year. Before going on Kairos, just the idea of the retreat elicited incessant complaints.
But the community and love I felt on that trip is something I will never forget. It may not have been connected to God for me personally but I felt it nonetheless.
I suppose it was just another couple of days filled with reflections, but these experiences were unlike anything I had experienced before. The most meaningful moments were not the result of the prompts we were given to answer, but simply just being in each other’s presence.
I learned so much about myself and my peers on that trip. It forced me to shift my worldview completely.
I spent four years of high school being told that it was my responsibility to help others, and that the impact one has on those around them will always be more important than any material success.
Doing good work was not an ideal that my high school hoped their students achieved but an expectation. My attitude toward my own service work completely shifted, and I began developing new ideas about how I could work to make change in the future. It was regularly expressed that we were being taught to be the type of people who made change.
These values are why I chose to continue my Jesuit education in college. In the past two years, I have become even more convinced of my correct decision in choosing a Jesuit education.
I still do not believe in a higher power, but I have felt the benefit of an education that works to teach higher values. My educational experiences in high school and college have encouraged questions and disbelief. It has allowed me to truly delve into my own convictions while having a deep-seated respect for others’ religious beliefs.
Morality seems to be a complicated issue in today’s world. The development of the self is difficult in a world that does not often teach or appreciate subjects like philosophy. But I do believe that religion can act as a guiding figure for many people.
Religion and religious education can inspire people to really consider their own moral codes and philosophies. This understanding of self can only lead to a greater understanding of the world around you. It allows you to walk through the world with both empathy and confidence.
But it is certainly not a perfect thing. Religion is a true reflector of human nature and is capable of both good and bad. The Jesuits are certainly no exception. The values of curiosity, compassion, and desire for change that have been seemingly drilled into me are now a crucial part of who I am.
My educational experience has been one of change and growth which I can only attribute to the culture of a Jesuit institution. I am so incredibly grateful to have two more years of opportunities to continue this growth even if it does mean having to occasionally suffer through some fairly boring, silent reflections.
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