Breaking the Silence: Confronting addiction and fostering healing at the 2026 Summit on Human Dignity
Every spring semester, Brophy adjusts its normal schedule for the Summit on Human Dignity, a cornerstone of the year that challenges our community to look outward at the world’s most pressing issues. Rather than being just a series of presentations, it is an invitation to the kind of deep soul-searching that defines our commitment to forming “Men for Others.” This year, leaning into a topic that topped a student interest poll, the community tackled the complex reality of addiction.
“I think the Summit on Human Dignity is one of the best things we do at Brophy,” says President Bob Ryan. “It’s telling to me that when I meet alumni, one of the first questions they ask is, ‘What’s the Summit theme this year?’ The topic of addiction, sadly, was one that resonated with everyone, and I was impressed by the ways our entire community was engaged.”
Student Participation and Execution
While faculty-led, this year featured new ways for students to participate in the Summit’s design. A dedicated Religious Studies elective of five seniors spent the fall as a planning seminar. Drew Rau ’02, Assistant Principal for Ministry, noted that the program moved beyond lectures to address the “unhealthy attachments” students encounter daily.
“The Summit is designed to be a mirror and a window,” Rau explains. “It’s a window into the struggles of the world, but also a mirror for our own habits. We wanted students to see that addiction isn’t just a distant crisis; it’s something that touches our own community and our own behaviors.”
Shaan Chokshi ’26 was part of that planning seminar. “I’ve been deeply involved in shaping the Summit over the past three years, from building reflection materials to helping design the overall experience,” Chokshi says. “It’s been meaningful to not just participate in the Summit, but to help define how it impacts the entire student body. At the same time, that work has shaped me by pushing me to think more critically about complex issues and be more intentional about how I listen and lead.”
Creative execution helped bridge the gap between theory and reality. The opening keynote was framed as a play where Brophy teacher Mr. Ian Hunthausen ’03 shared a personal narrative supported by student tech-theater. Later, the “Great Screen Addiction Extravaganza” moved the discussion into English classes through a satirical sketch and a “Museum of Screen Addictions” created by the National Art Honor Society. Workshops offered an expansive look at the crisis, including the neurobiology of addiction, the spiritual intersections of the 12 Steps and Ignatian prayer, a student-led research on the racial inequities of the War on Drugs, and candid faculty panels regarding the impact of addiction on family dynamics.
Bringing the Conversation Home
To illustrate the family impact, the Robson Lobby featured large printed sheets of anonymous quotes from 218 Brophy parents. Data showed that 91% of participating parents felt screens were a problem affecting family connection, and students had a chance to read their parents’ reflections and see visualizations of the percentage of their time spent on screens.
“The parent community really responded and recognized that this is something we’re going through,” says Rau. “It hit hard just how problematic the nature of our attachments to our phones are, and the extent to which it’s affecting central relationships.”
Later, a “Summit Mini-Retreat” allowed students to discuss unhealthy attachments within their existing Kairos, Magis, and Frosh groups. Rau noted these established groups provided the best environment for engagement because of the trust already built during previous retreats.
Impact and Response
The response was immediate. Following the first keynote, students approached staff members to discuss concerns about friends. This openness culminated at the Closing Mass, where a student leader shared his own experience with addiction during the homily. It was a moment that modeled the transparency the Summit sought to encourage.
Austin Pidgeon ’08, Dean of Student Support Services, reflected on the necessity of this dialogue: “This year’s Summit reminded us that the Brophy community is not immune to the realities of substance use and behavioral addiction, and these struggles never affect only one person; they ripple outward into friendships and family dynamics,” he says. “By naming these realities directly and pointing students toward support, we helped foster connection and healing. I’m proud to be part of a community that guides students toward a way of being rooted in faith and hope.”
Principal Jim Bopp was also impressed by the way students approached a difficult topic. “Their vulnerability and engagement was some of the best we have ever seen,” he says. “I am so grateful for all the faculty and students who led by example, sharing in a tremendously wide variety of settings from presentations, to workshops, to prayer services and small groups. It’s clear this is something our students have been eager to discuss.”
"More than any Summit in recent memory, there was an instant, enthusiastic response... when you hear stories about a group of sophomores who usually don’t talk about school, but now are suddenly deep in conversation about addiction and personal habits, you know you’re truly getting through to them."