Forming Hearts, Inspiring Lives: The Impact of Luke Young

Each year, St. Mary’s Ryken honors a member of our community who embodies the spirit and mission of the Xaverian Brothers. This year, we proudly recognized Luke Young, theology teacher, mentor, and faithful witness, as the recipient of the Theodore James Ryken Award during an award ceremony in December 2025.

The Theodore James Ryken Award celebrates those who live the core Xaverian values of humility, trust, zeal, compassion, and simplicity. These virtues are not abstract ideals; they are lived daily in classrooms, conversations, and quiet moments of guidance. For the past 15 years, Mr. Young has modeled these values in ways that have profoundly shaped the SMR community.

A member of the Theology Department, Mr. Young holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and is pursuing a master’s degree in theology. His intellectual depth is matched by an equally deep commitment to forming the hearts and consciences of his students. In his classroom, students grapple with life’s most important questions — about purpose, relationships, moral responsibility, and God’s call. Mr. Young meets his students where they are and patiently walks with them toward truth.

The 2018 Archdiocese of Washington Veteran Teacher of the Year and former moderator of the Student Government Association consistently challenges students to lead with integrity and to think beyond themselves. Yet it is in the day-to-day rhythm of classroom life where his vocation shines most clearly. His teaching is not simply instruction — it is invitation to think deeply, live boldly, and grow spiritually.

As one colleague shared, “Through the coherence of what Luke teaches in the classroom with his personal witness, students’ lives are changed by authentically wrestling with the ‘big’ issues of being human.” That coherence — between word and example — is what makes Mr. Young’s influence so enduring. He teaches compassion not merely as a concept, but as a lived reality, rooted in human dignity, justice, mercy, and love.

In the Xaverian tradition, a teacher is more than a transmitter of knowledge. A Xaverian educator is a steward of souls and a companion on the journey of faith. Mr. Young embraces this calling fully. His vocation is teaching, and St. Mary’s Ryken is blessed to be the place where he lives that vocation with joy and conviction.

Mr. Young was joined at the award ceremony by his wife, Deigh, their five children, and his in-laws, Leonard and Peggy. Their presence was a reminder that no vocation is lived in isolation. The love and support of family enable Mr. Young to give so generously of himself to his students and to this community.

For 16 years, Mr. Young has shaped not only the minds, but the hearts of young people. He has helped students see the world through the lens of faith and understand that truth and compassion are inseparable. He has given them the tools to remain morally grounded as they forge their own paths in the world.

For his faithful witness, his unwavering dedication, and his embodiment of the Xaverian mission, we are proud to honor Luke Young as this year’s Theodore James Ryken Award recipient. His legacy lives on in every student whose life he has touched