Today’s episode features a true legend of Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento. Even today, despite being 40 years old and having nearly 20 years of teaching experience under my belt, I remain a bit in awe of this educator. He will always stand out to me as the standard by which all teachers are measured. His robust knowledge of history made his classes engaging even if they went against today’s best practices, featuring hours of lectures and old-fashioned slide reels from his travels around the world. Alongside his vast knowledge of the subject matter, his primary and unique gift was connecting with students — making each person he encountered feel seen, known, and understood.

At around minute 15, we discuss the salvific power of Lasallian education as it takes shape in relationships. He describes seeing a student in need after the loss of a parent, and in expressing love as simply attention, Tom shows how that attention — being named, known, and understood, in today’s language — has the power to heal, if not save, lives.

As educators, we are called to see the perfection in young people that dwells within them by way of their innate human dignity — their Imago. This is a perfection that sometimes only we can see in a way that is meaningful to that young person. In this, we truly do act as guardian angels, as ministers of grace through the sacramental dimension of care-centered relationships.

In this episode we hear from Stephanie Roybal and Mary Alice Spinelli on their career in Lasallian Education. Bother are department chairs and have been friends for a long time in this Lasallian world.

In this episode we learn from Megan Alexander-Short what it means to exist joyfully anchored to the Lasallian mission. Megan is Director of Lasallian Student Life at Justin-Siena High School.

This episode features Religious Studies educator, Thomas Guro instructor and department chair at Christian Brothers High School.

Joyful Serious is a podcast centering the voice of the Lasallian educator. In this episode, "Joy, The Unspoken Virtue" we hear from Georgine Clarke on her journey from life with Dominican Sisters to teaching as a lay professional at Justin-Siena High School in Napa, Ca.