The Rev. J. Christian Beretta, O.S.F.S., is the 17th principal of Salesianum School. A native of California, he graduated from Paul VI High School in Fairfax, Virginia, where he was taught by the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales. He entered the Oblates in 1986, and was ordained a priest at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington, Delaware, on May 31, 1997.
Fr. Beretta holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Allentown College (now DeSales University), a Master of Divinity from the DeSales School of Theology, a Master of Arts in Sport Psychology from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Notre Dame. In 2017, he began his doctoral studies in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, where his dissertation is currently focused on involving students in the development of authentically inclusive school communities that reflect the Gospel ideal of the civilization of love.
Fr. Beretta has served in Catholic education for twenty-four years as a teacher, coach, campus minister, and principal, both at Salesianum (1991-1993, 1997-1999, and 2010-present) and at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, FL (1999-2010). In collaboration with a dedicated faculty and staff, he is passionate about the development of innovative approaches to Salesianum's educational and spiritual mission, preparing the next generation of Salesian gentlemen for life in a rapidly changing world. His experience both as a student and an educator is that learning with and from others gives life meaning, expressed in the words of Saint Francis de Sales: "Knowledge is the eighth sacrament of the church." Guided by this vision, Fr. Beretta continues to be inspired by the ongoing effort to build a uniquely Salesian community of faith and learning that is optimistic, engaging, and relevant to the lives of the students, who as children of God are called to use their gifts and talents to change the world.