Faber’s Stable: A Place for Encounter and Renewal
At the end of East Meadowbrook Avenue, just beyond the left field wall of Opus Field, sits a simple building with an extraordinary purpose. Faber’s Stable, named in honor of St. Peter Faber, S.J., one of the first companions of St. Ignatius of Loyola, serves as Brophy’s in-town retreat house and spiritual gathering place.
Before it became a retreat space, the building served for many years as the Boys Hope home in Phoenix, part of Boys Hope Girls Hope, the organization founded by Fr. Paul Sheridan, S.J., in the 1970s. It housed residential scholars until the local program ended. When that transition came, Boys Hope Girls Hope hoped Brophy would take it on because of the school’s longstanding support and close relationship with their work. Brophy ultimately purchased the home, allowing its next chapter to stay rooted in formation and care for young people.
Much like its namesake, the space invites students, faculty, and guests to encounter God in quiet, humble moments. Over the past school year, Faber’s Stable hosted nearly fifty gatherings that included overnight retreats, senior capstone reflections, department meetings, and team events. It has become part of the rhythm of campus life, offering a place for rest, prayer, and renewal.
The name draws inspiration from Faber’s Memoriale, where he wrote of feeling unworthy one Christmas Eve until he realized his imperfect heart “harmonized well with the stable” where Christ chose to be born. That realization, that God enters into humility, captures the spirit of those who gather at Faber’s Stable.
For decades, Manresa outside Sedona has anchored Brophy’s retreat tradition. Nestled along Oak Creek beneath the red rocks, it remains a place of stillness and grace. Yet its distance makes scheduling and travel challenging for daylong or smaller gatherings. Faber’s Stable complements that legacy with a venue minutes from campus, extending the reach of formation and deepening a daily culture of prayer and connection. Principal Jim Bopp sees that effect clearly. “Part of the Ignatian experience is to step away. Even if it’s just one hundred yards, it can shift a student’s mindset,” he explains, noting how the short distance still creates room for interior movement.
Academic life has woven the space into its cadence. Religious Studies built Faber’s Stable into the new senior curriculum, creating a one-day experience for each class that feels off campus yet fits the school schedule. Department Chair Megan Agliano explains the difference: “It opened up opportunities to create more retreat and prayer moments that feel special and don’t involve travel or elaborate planning. Being able to be ‘off campus’ really sets the tone, yet the proximity fits the school day. A facility like this is really rare at a high school, so it is a true gift.” Faculty have also used the Stable for a Department Day of Reflection, a setting that invites deeper thought and still supports productive planning.
Teams have discovered the same fit. The rugby program has grown quickly and often finalizes its roster right as the season begins. Head Coach Scott Middlemist describes how the Stable makes the preseason possible: “Faber’s Stable has been a saving grace for us as we can accommodate even late joining players for the day long bonding that sets the tone for our season. We are able to set goals and expectations, play games on the basketball court, and enjoy getting to know each other more before the season kicks off. We are blessed to have access to Faber’s, which is the perfect fit for us.” For golf, the scale is smaller but the needs are similar. Head Coach and Religious Studies faculty member Jon Shores notes that the Stable is “close to campus yet feels like you are away,” with the right mix of meeting space and community building areas. Bopp has heard similar reflections from students and staff across programs. “Even though it’s close, it still feels special. It pulls a kid out of the routine of the school day,” he says.
Faber’s Stable is set apart yet accessible, simple to use yet substantial enough to hold serious work. Students feel the difference the moment they arrive. Faculty and coaches see it in the quality of attention and the ease of planning. Whether it is athletes preparing for competition, seniors discerning next steps, or colleagues taking time to pray and plan, the Stable reminds all who gather there that grace is never far away. “Grace is always standing at the door and knocking,” St. Peter Faber once wrote. At Brophy, Faber’s Stable ensures there is always a door waiting to be opened.
"We hope that naming this new retreat house in honor of St. Peter Faber, and after the humble stable into which Christ was born, might help remind our students, who may often feel anxious and unprepared themselves, that Christ is at every moment descending directly into their lives, just as He descended into Faber’s."