Two words tell you all you need to know about Bro. Stephen Balletta: Marianist Brother. 

Born on September 22, 1956, Bro. Stephen was raised by Vincent and Maria Balletta in Port Washington, New York.  Growing up in a family of four children, thirteen-year-old Stephen Balletta joined a much larger family – the Chaminade Family – in September of 1970.  Marianists like Bro. Richard Hartz, Bro. George Zehnle, Bro. Lawrence Syriac, Bro. Robert Lahey, Fr. Francis Keenan, and Fr. Philip Eichner made a profound impression on him.  “They changed my life,” Bro. Stephen often says.  Hoping he could make the same kind of difference in the lives of future generations of Marianist students, he became an aspirant in the Society of Mary in June of 1974, just two weeks after his graduation from high school.

Bro. Stephen earned his bachelor’s degree in English and theology at St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York, and his master’s degree in English at Fordham University in the Bronx.  In the 1978-79 school year, he began his career as a Marianist educator, teaching freshman English.  “I made a lot of mistakes that first year,” Bro. Stephen recalls.  “I hope I’ve learned from them.”  

In 1987, Bro. Stephen made the move to junior English, a subject he taught for twenty-three years.  “I loved every minute of that course, from teaching British poetry to acting out scenes from Macbeth and Pygmalion to helping generations of students hone their writing skills.”  During his years as an English teacher, Bro. Stephen moderated many of the same extracurricular activities that he pursued as a student: Speech and Debate; the yearbook, and Tarmac.  “I treasure many happy memories from my years spent in the Tarmac office – memories of the many issues we produced and, more importantly, of the many lifelong friendships that we formed.”

In June of 2010, Bro. Stephen was appointed vocation director for the Province of Meribah and continues to serve as part of the Province’s vocations team.  “It’s been the privilege of my life to accompany young men as they discern a vocation to religious life or to the Diocesan priesthood.”  During this time as well, Bro. Stephen has served as assistant novice master and, from 2015 to 2021, director of the Marianist Community at Chaminade.  

In conjunction with his role as a vocations minister, Bro. Stephen has been teaching senior religion for the past sixteen years.  “Teaching religion, working with vocation candidates, and guiding young men in religious formation was another major turning point in my life, because I realized that I just couldn’t talk about holiness; I had to walk the talk as well.  I’m still on the journey, and, thankfully, the Lord is patient, kind, and merciful.”

“I’ve been blessed,” Bro. Stephen says.  “Fifty years ago, I set out to become a Marianist Brother, and, by the grace of God, here I am – still.  I’ve lived with Marianists committed to their faith in Jesus Christ and to His Blessed Mother and dedicated to the mission of Catholic education, and I have been inspired by their example.  I’ve known generations of young Flyers who have come to this school a little bit fearful of what lay ahead, as I was, and who have graduated as Chaminade men, equipped to make a positive difference in this world.  Who could ask for anything more?”