Chris's path to Arrupe Jesuit began long before he ever set foot in Denver — it started in the hallways of Jesuit High School of New Orleans, where he grew up in Metairie, Louisiana. It was there, watching the Jesuits live their vocation with unmistakable joy, that something stirred in him. He didn't have words for it yet, but the seeds were planted.
After high school, Chris enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, where his faith and his appetite for big questions found exactly the right environment to grow. He studied Theology, Philosophy, and Classics — diving deep into the intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church and the writings of the Church Fathers under the mentorship of Jesuit professor Fr. Brian Daley. The more he learned, the more clearly he felt a call toward something greater than academic life alone. When he graduated, he entered the Society of Jesus — a decision he describes as one of profound and ongoing gratitude.
The decision to enter the Jesuits wasn't made in a single moment. The deeper Chris grew in prayer and in his Catholic faith, the more one truth became impossible to ignore: that God is infinite goodness, poured out freely for the world and for each person. In the face of that kind of love, he wanted to give everything back. What confirmed the Jesuits specifically was watching what happened when he shared Ignatian principles with friends who were wrestling with their own sense of direction and he saw people move from anxiety and confusion about God's will to freedom and enthusiasm for mission. That pattern kept repeating itself. "I couldn't help but think that God might be inviting me into this charism more fully," he reflects. That spiritual intuition found its confirmation, and he has never looked back.
His formation as a Jesuit has taken him to places that have shaped him deeply. Among the most formative was a four-month stretch serving at the U.S.-Mexico border with Del Camino Border Ministries during his novitiate. What he encountered there — the faith, generosity, and love of people navigating some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable — left a lasting mark. "I was in awe at the generosity of so many who were themselves in such difficult circumstances yet chose to care for others," he reflects. Those memories, he says, continue to inspire him.
At Arrupe, Chris teaches Junior Theology, guiding students through the Catholic Sacraments and the moral life in Christ. He also coaches Cross Country, a role that connects him to his own high school running days and helps lead the Youth Group. In the classroom, he comes alive in the moments when a student's eyes light up with understanding, when a concept clicks and something shifts. Outside of it, he is just as invested, ready to walk alongside students who are wrestling with their faith or seeking guidance.
That instinct to accompany was itself learned. Chris often thinks of Fr. Kevin Dyer, SJ, who taught him in 10th and 12th grade and had a quiet habit of wandering the lunch area just to check in on students — present, attentive, genuinely interested. During his first week at Arrupe, Chris found himself doing exactly the same thing. "What shaped and influenced my life so much for the good, now I am myself able to live and share," he says. "What a life!"
