What’s Your Take?

Gabe Berger ‘17 was raised Catholic, but son to a practicing Jewish father. Berger attends mass almost every Sunday, and temple once a year. To Berger, an atheist, mass is not a begrudging obligation, but rather, “an opportunity to learn.”
“The moral teachings of those stories are still very important to me,” said Berger.
“In family discussions we’ll talk about the message of Passover and Hanukkah.” To him, religion is a jumping off point for moral discussions. Despite his beliefs, he feels that the religious aspect of Prep enriches the learning, rather than restricting it.
Jules Hancock ’18, had a different take. “I find organized religion stifling. I feel no closer to God when I’m sitting in mass surrounded by too many people than I feel in class,” said Hancock, whose mother was Mormon, but left the church because she felt trapped. To Hancock, religion is restrictive, but spirituality is necessary: “I have to believe in something or I’ll go insane.”

This sentiment of “spiritual but not religious” seems to be a popular one at Prep, and one that lends itself to the spiritual, non-specific homilies and reflections of Prep’s religious services. Often, these reflections are given by non-Catholic students and teachers