You walk into a dimly lit classroom, smelling of warm vanilla and adorned with crosses on the walls. The teacher greets you with a gleaming smile and asks how your day was. This kind and welcoming teacher is Mr. Verni. He is the Upper School theology teacher, as well as the supervisor for Campus Ministry. Every Mass you walk into was made possible by his hard work and wonderful communication skills. He is not only a theologian, but also a visionary who has high hopes for spirituality on campus, as well as for his students.

By engaging in a quick conversation with Mr. Verni, you could easily learn about his Italian heritage. Many know this fun fact, but most haven’t heard the deeper story behind it. Mr. Verni’s great-grandparents immigrated from Southern Italy in 1911, and it was no small feat. They were faced with discrimination, racism, and prejudice due to their Catholic faith. This experience is something that stays with the Verni family, not as a source of sadness but as a reminder of their ancestors’ strength and how far they have truly come. Mr. Verni reflects on these stories and their influence on his adolescence in pursuit of connection to his Italian roots. In his youth, he spent summers in Italy with his cousins. These were some of the best times of his life and later influenced him to attend college in Italy. 

Attending college away from home was no easy choice, but Mr. Verni was driven by his desire to become a monk. He had always been an avid member of the church through choir, service, and assisting the priests. Some members of his church even told Verni that they envisioned him becoming the pope one day, which intrigued him. He shared, “Before I knew it, I did the seminary.” His seminary journey began at 17 years old and as well as, an order of Italian monks. His name was officially changed to Brother Victor, and he was prepared to begin this new chapter of his life. Eventually, he discovered that this was not the life path that best suited him, so he changed directions and moved into teaching.

Although he gravitated to teaching, this wasn’t a foreign pursuit due to his deep passion for education. Verni recounted his passion to 1st grade, “I would go and sit behind the teacher’s desk and pretend to teach.” These small moments accumulated into an enthusiasm that couldn’t be contained. Mr. Verni teaches theology because of his extensive knowledge within the topic, but did you know that he could also be teaching a language? He speaks English, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Biblical Greek, Hebrew, and can even read Portuguese. Mr. Verni is a highly skilled linguist who enjoys teaching his language skills to others.

Now, when you enter Mr. Verni’s classroom or see him around the school, ensure to say hello to him and ask how he is doing. He is a man who has lived quite an interesting life and appreciates sharing his many stories with others. Our Stuart community is extremely lucky to have him as a teacher, and we look forward to all the wonderful things he will continue to do.