An Ignatian path through the Heights
On a sunny spring Sunday, a group of some 60 Boston College seniors took the opportunity to experience and appreciate their campus home and undergraduate journey through the lens of Ignatian spirituality.
They were participants in “The Ignatian Path Through the Heights: A Campus Camino of Gratitude, Reflection, and Prayer,” offered for the first time by the Office of Campus Ministry on April 12. This campus camino (“path”) of gratitude, reflection, and prayer is modeled after the Camino Ignaciano (The Ignatian Way).
Inspired by the Ignatian tradition and the life of St. Ignatius, organizers said this reflective camino invited seniors to revisit meaningful spaces across campus through guided reflections and prayer inspired by Ignatian spirituality. In preparation for graduation, it provided students a chance to pause, give thanks, and reflect on their undergraduate journey.
“We are pleased that our seniors responded to this offering with such enthusiasm,” said Haub Vice President for Mission and Ministry Casey Beaumier, S.J., who directs Campus Ministry. “Our hope in Campus Ministry is to develop retreats and other experiences that help our seniors leave their undergraduate time at Boston College in a beautiful way. This offering intends to help them reflect upon the gifts they have received during their time at Boston College.”
At 245 Beacon Street, the theme was Ignatian imagination and creativity. (Caitlin Cunningham)
During the four-hour retreat, the students walked contemplatively and prayerfully through campus. At each of 10 sites—which included academic buildings, chapels, outdoor spaces, and residence halls—there was a reflection or prayer experience associated with a different theme of Ignatian spirituality. A student offered a related personal reflection at each stop, where participants could make connections between the respective themes and their own campus experiences.
Lynch School of Education and Human Development student Brie Wesner, who is studying applied psychology and Management & Leadership, wanted to participate in this “meaningful opportunity to reflect on the special experiences I’ve had in different places across campus. I thought it was important to enter these final weeks of senior year with a sense of gratitude. I think it’s incredibly valuable that Campus Ministry offers a space like this for seniors to pause, reflect, and appreciate their time at BC.”
The first site on the group’s itinerary was the St. Ignatius statue for an overview of St. Ignatius’ life and Ignatian spirituality. At 245 Beacon Street, the theme was Ignatian imagination and creativity, followed by community and friendship at Conte Forum/Alumni Stadium. The group reflected on finding God in all things at the Pine Tree Preserve and nearby reservoir, where Wesner shared that, upon arrival at BC, she thought of faith as confined to specific places like churches or to formal prayer.
“Over time, especially through moments at the reservoir—whether alone, with friends, or while connecting with family over the phone—I began to recognize God’s presence in ordinary experiences. Everyday moments of conversation, connection, and reflection became just as meaningful as more traditional expressions of faith. The reservoir became a place where I felt grounded, and where I learned to notice and appreciate God’s presence in the small, often overlooked moments of daily life.”
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A stop at the Mods for a sense of the spirituality of everyday life.
The group went on to contemplate companionship and community on the journey at the Mods/Lower Campus, and a spirituality of everyday life and cura personalis at St. Ignatius Church. St. Mary’s garden provided an opportunity to reflect on the Ignatian examen, while the Bapst Library Lawn and Memorial Labyrinth theme was Ignatian discernment—listening for God’s invitation.
There, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences history major John O’Keefe spoke about his sophomore year participation in Appa, where service at an immigration-focused community center in the Bronx inspired him to forgo junior year abroad and remain on campus “to continue engaging with topics that matter. I led Appa and traveled to the United States-Mexico border through Arrupe [International Encounters]. I think that Ignatian discernment is all about noticing what matters to us, listening to what’s happening within us, and taking the time to reflect on what that means for us.”
O’Keefe said he benefited from his peers’ reflections during the retreat: “It was inspiring to hear students speak about who they’ve become during their time here, and I think that’s a testament to all the University community has offered us over the years. I am feeling especially grateful for all I’ve been given at BC and looking forward to paying it forward in all that I do.”
At St. Joseph’s Chapel the group pondered contemplation in action/people with and for others, before the retreat concluded at Gasson Hall with reflection on gathering the graces/looking back with a grateful heart.
At the chapel, Livia Mariani discussed her 4Boston service experiences, and reflections through her involvement, on community, spirituality, and social justice. It “allowed me to see social justice through a lens of personalism, which emphasizes the dignity and importance of each person and individual relationships. This experience informed how I will continue to live my life and my perspectives on social impact.”
A Morrissey College chemistry major and Hispanic Studies minor, Mariani praised Campus Minister Grace Davis’s leadership of the “amazing” retreat, which she participated in to “get a head start on reflecting and expressing my gratitude for the past four years at BC. I also felt like it would be a great way to be more intentional about how I live and experience the last four weeks of the semester.”