Malvern Prep Welcomes the Class of 2028 and New Transfer Students with Brotherhood Ceremony

A large group of young men in matching blazers and ties are seated on bleachers in a gymnasium, with a banner that reads "VISION" visible in the background.
Malvern Prep Welcomes the Class of 2028 and New Transfer Students with Brotherhood Ceremony

On Wednesday, September 18, Malvern Prep formally welcomed the class of 2028, along with transfer students from the classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027, into the Malvern Community during the Brotherhood Ceremony held in the O'Neill Sports Center.

Rev. William Gabriel, O.S.A., opened the ceremony by sharing the story of Rev. Bill Atkinson, O.S.A., the first quadriplegic ordained priest who 'borrowed strength from others' to lift his hands. "This is Friar Brotherhood," he explained, emphasizing how we lift each other up so that the Holy Spirit might work through us in how we care for, forgive, and support one another."

The ceremony began with each student sitting alongside their parents/guardians. They were then presented with a medal of St. Augustine, which their parents or guardians placed around their necks. These medals depict the image of St. Augustine, the founder of the Augustinian Order of Priests, who established and support Malvern Prep. Each student and his family were then blessed by one of the five Augustinian Friars participating in the ceremony; Rev. Christopher Drennen, O.S.A. ’73, Rev. William Gabriel, O.S.A., Rev. Michael Riggs, O.S.A., Rev. Bernie Scianna, O.S.A., Ph.D., and Rev. Patrick McStravog, O.S.A. Each student then signed their name in a class of 2028 ledger, symbolizing their acceptance into the Malvern Brotherhood, before returning to sit with their classmates, a gesture marking their formal membership in the Malvern Community.

Mr. Patrick Sillup, Head of School, spoke to the group by noting that trying to describe the concept of Malvern Brotherhood to others is often a difficult task if they have not experienced it themselves. He welcomed senior Rylan Arata to share how his understanding of brotherhood evolved over the years. “At first, it didn’t click with me, and made me feel left out,” he admitted, “but over time, it seemed like brotherhood became less of a phrase we said and more of a concrete thing we did.” He encouraged his fellow students not to worry if they are not yet feeling the connection, but to give it time, and strive to be the brother they hope to have. 

Sillup closed the ceremony by addressing the class of 2028 and new transfer students, expressing the School’s honor in having them as a part of this special and unique community. “One that starts by choosing to take a journey with others, lift each other up, and by doing so, making anything possible.” 

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A large audience is seated in a gymnasium with three draped tables in the foreground.
A man in the foreground places a necklace on a young man in a suit, while an audience watches from bleachers in the background.
A young man in a suit is being presented with a necklace by a woman in the foreground, while an audience watches from bleachers in the background.
Two young men in blue suits sign a document at a table in front of a blue curtain and flags.
A young man in a blue suit speaks at a podium with the Malvern School logo, while a man in a gray suit stands behind him against a blue curtain backdrop.
A woman in a white shirt gestures to a young man in a navy suit and tie, while a blurred crowd fills the gymnasium background.
A young man in a blue suit is being blessed by a man in a dark robe, with his mother and another man looking on, while an audience sits in the background.
A young man in a navy blazer and tie signs a document at a table in the foreground, while an audience watches in the blurred background of a gymnasium.
Young men in blue blazers and khaki pants sit in chairs on a blue carpeted floor, facing a bleacher-filled audience in the background.