Mr. Lord hates giving out JUGs.
It’s a shocking fact that the theology teacher wishes more people knew. Anyone who has dared to venture through the 240’s hallway without an ID knows Mr. Lord. It’s a reputation that he has earned amongst underclassmen, but to the juniors and seniors who have had him for Catholic Ethics or Catholic Imagination, he is a passionate and engaging teacher. He is much more than just a stern disciplinarian to lanyard-less freshmen or the incense-wielder leading the procession during first Friday masses.
Mr. Lord has worked at Saint Ignatius for 26 years. Though his enthusiasm for his profession suggests otherwise, he didn’t initially intend to pursue teaching. In fact, he was on track to become a minister after serving in the Marines. He claims it was a stroke of “dumb luck” that brought him to Saint Ignatius. He filled in for his friend who was on maternity leave and, almost 30 years later, has never left! His first impression of the school was “foreign, another planet”. He had no background in Catholic education, and even praying in school seemed out-of-the-ordinary. Over time, he became intertwined with the tightly-knit community. Saint Ignatius has not only strengthened his faith, but has inspired him to help strengthen others’.
He recalls spending his childhood playing soccer and messing around with his brothers, calling to mind one specific memory. Eight-year-old Mr. Lord and his brothers enjoyed donning full football gear and taking turns rolling each other down a hill in a wheelbarrow, eventually launching the victim into a wood pile (a game cleverly dubbed “pilot ejecting”). One fateful day, Mr. Lord somehow landed on a beehive, prompting a scene straight out of the animated Winnie the Pooh movie. A cloud of bees immediately surrounded him in a cartoon-like fashion. He claims this experience was very “on brand” for him.
Now, his hobbies involve fewer wheelbarrows, football pads, and the occasional angry swarm of bees. He relaxes by simply walking his dog, spending time with his wife, or playing golf. “This sounds so cliche,” he admits.
He also enjoys studying niche subjects outside of school and “will drill down to magma,” learning everything about one particular topic. Some of his hyperfixations have included St. Peter’s Basilica and the Kennedy assassination (to this, he adds that he will gladly use an entire class period this year to debunk anyone’s conspiracy theories on the event).
Despite his love for both research and relaxation, Mr. Lord’s favorite thing is still coming to Saint Ignatius each day. He says the best part of the school, by far, is the people. His colleagues inspire him with “the high level of competence within the subjects [they] teach, but almost more importantly, the community.” And, he says his students “seem like they really want to learn.” Mr. Lord is passionate about sharing his knowledge with eager students. His philosophy is that enforcing the rules creates a healthy learning environment, but so does making lighthearted and funny memories.
Everyone has a Mr. Lord story. Whether he is forcing a student to sing the National Anthem in front of the class or stealing Mrs. Kennedy’s chocolate bar out of her desk and replacing it with the empty wrapper (one of his favorite pranks on her), Mr. Lord leaves a lasting impression. His passion for his vocation sets him apart as an integral member of the Saint Ignatius community and the kind of teacher that students will remember for the rest of their lives.
