Beloved religion teacher Brother Sam is celebrating his 10th year as a Marist Brother and he has huge news: After eight years in Chicago, he is leaving for another assignment at a Marist school in Miami. The impact of his time here is something that will last forever.

Br. Sam spent two years of training at the novitiate. That is a two-year training program that people must complete to become a religious Brother. After this training, he was assigned to Marist Chicago and fell in love with the school and the environment. 

“I really liked it here, I really liked my first day here. It felt like a good fit for me,” he said.

Before Br. Sam even began training for his calling,  he received his master’s degree at The University of Massachusetts and his undergrad at John Carroll University. There, he studied education and foreign languages. He still exercises his foreign language education skills during almost every class period with his students. Despite his major,  Br. Sam had an urge to become a brother since high school.

“I had these interests and attractions (to becoming a brother). I talked to my guidance counselor about it as a senior and he suggested that I check out the Marist Brothers,” said Br. Sam. 

He has no doubts about his path. Br. Sam compares his commitment to the brotherhood to marriage. It is a lifelong commitment to something that he will love forever. He explained this to his students after the numerous questions asked about the life of a brother and how it differs from our own. 

Br. Sam’s classroom environment is one that is incomparable to any other. He finds a way to keep students engaged by delivering the lessons in a very interactive way. Unlike other ways of teaching, Br. Sam gives notes by having a conversation with his students and making sure they fully grasp the materials. 

“Br. Sam’s class is honestly pretty fun. It’s not a strict environment like some other classes are, but instead in his class we just talk and you can tell everyone is comfortable,” said sophomore Joey Hughes.

Unfortunately for many students, this is his last year here at Marist Chicago as he prepares for his new assignment in Florida. Although he will miss Marist Chicago, he is excited to go on this new journey and hopefully make just as many lasting memories as he did here.