COLUMNS
catching up with SAL CARUSO
When Sal Caruso reflects on his years teaching theology at Gilmour Academy from 2006–2012 — and his return as a long-term substitute in 2022 — one word rises immediately to the surface: community. “There’s such a sense of family spirit,” he says. “How can I be somewhere only six years and still feel such a deep connection? That says everything.” Returning to campus years later felt special. The relationships endured. Many former students still keep in touch, and Caruso delights in seeing where life has taken them.
“I look at my time at Gilmour as the place where I developed my own voice,” he reflects. “Those relationships were intentional. There’s no other place like it.” Caruso especially loved teaching juniors — students eager to ask hard questions and engage in thoughtful dialogue. Knowing every student by name mattered, as did taking theology beyond the classroom. Some of his most meaningful moments came during immersion and service trips. He traveled with students to Austin, Texas to work with immigrants and to New Orleans to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Those experiences moved faith from discussion to encounter, reminding students that belief is lived through relationships and service. Coming from a Jesuit background, Caruso found deep resonance with Gilmour’s Holy Cross mission — particularly its emphasis on inclusiveness, hospitality and the option
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