On the Hill

Eight new members have been added to the Saint Meinrad Alumni Association Board of Directors. The Alumni Board works to nurture a lasting relationship between each alumnus and Saint Meinrad; inform alumni about the ongoing mission and work of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Seminary and School of Theology; listen to responsively and represent alumni concerns; recommend and evaluate alumni events, programs, and initiatives; and foster, enhance, and support Saint Meinrad in carrying out its institutional mission.

New to the board are Dcn. Mike Braun of Indianapolis, Andrea Byrne of New Albany, IN, Fr. Ross Caniglia of the Diocese of Sioux City, IA, Fr. Dale Cieslik of the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY, Lisa Covington of Copley, OH, Fr. Brian Emmick of the Diocese of Evansville, IN, Fr. Tony Pelak of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, MI and Dcn. Peter Rendon of Taylorsville, KY.

Dcn. Mike Braun, PD‘12 (‘08-12), is a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He has served at St. Simon the Apostle Catholic Church since his ordination in 2012. He retired from Roche Diagnostics in 2010 after 31 years of service.

Dcn. Mike earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Purdue University-Indianapolis in 1979. He went on to earn an MBA from Indiana Central University (now University of Indianapolis) in 1985, and a master’s degree in theological studies from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in 2009. He is a 2012 graduate of Saint Meinrad’s Permanent Deacon Formation Program.

Mike and his wife, Wendy, have five children and thirteen grandchildren and reside in Indianapolis.

Andrea “Andi” Byrne, GTP‘18 (‘13-18), is a self-employed certified public accountant who currently works with Catholic parishes. Previously she worked in corporate and public accounting and has volunteered for a variety of organizations over the years, including Our Lady of Providence High School. She currently serves on the board of Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation, Inc. in New Albany, IN.

She graduated from Bellarmine College in 1996 with a degree in accounting and earned her Master of Arts in Theology degree from Saint Meinrad Seminary School of Theology in 2018.

She’s an active member of St. Mary of the Knobs, where she has served in a variety of roles, including past service on the Pastoral Council, Steering Committee and RCIA team. She’s currently a member of the choir and lives in New Albany, IN.

Fr. Ross Caniglia, T‘19 (‘13-19), is a priest of the Diocese of Sioux City, IA, serving as the parochial vicar at Holy Trinity Parish and chaplain at St. Edmond Catholic High School in Ft. Dodge, IA. He previously served as parochial vicar in the Catholic churches of Boone County, IA from 2019-2022.

Fr. Ross is a graduate of Creighton University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Atmospheric Sciences in 2010. He went on to work in Sioux City, IA, as a meteorologist and news reporter at KTIV, the market’s NBC affiliate. From there he did pre-theology and theology studies at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. He was ordained a priest in June of 2019.

In his free time, Fr. Ross enjoys playing volleyball, basketball, piano, and writing liturgical music.

Fr. Dale Cieslik, O‘82 (‘74-82), is a priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY. Since 2012, he has served as pastor of Saint Francis Xavier Church in Mount Washington, KY. Since 2019, Fr. Dale has served as historian for the Archdiocese of Louisville, and as chaplain for Bellarmine University Men’s Basketball Team since 2005.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Saint Meinrad College in 1978 and a Master of Divinity from Saint Meinrad School of Theology in 1982.

He has served as pastor of several parishes in the Archdiocese, as chancellor of the Archdiocese from 1994-2002, and archivist for 25 years (1994- 2019). He co-created The History Center (museum) of the Archdiocese in 2006, located across from the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville.

Lisa Covington, GTP‘07 (‘04-07), is experienced in both pastoral ministry and teaching in higher education. She is currently the pastoral minister at Prince of Peace parish in Norton, OH, and the parish catechetical leader at Guardian Angels in Copley, OH.

Lisa is also a part-time instructor with the Philosophy and Comparative Religion Department at Cleveland State University, teaching classes in comparative religion and on women and religion.

Additionally, Lisa serves as a case specialist with the Tribunal for the Diocese of Cleveland. She earned her undergraduate degrees in pastoral leadership and theology from Marian University, and her graduate degree in theological studies from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in 2007. Lisa and her husband Bob have two children and reside in Copley, OH.

Fr. Brian Emmick, T‘12 (‘06-12), is a priest of the Diocese of Evansville, IN. He has served as pastor of Precious Blood in Jasper and priest-delegate of Holy Trinity School since July 2020. Previously, he was pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Princeton, IN, and St. Bernard Catholic Church, Snake Run, IN, for four years.

Fr. Brian is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana, earning a bachelor's degree in biology. He earned a Master of Catholic Philosophical Thought in 2008, and a Master of Divinity from the Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in 2012.

Fr. Tony Pelak, C‘95 (‘93-95), is a priest of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, MI. He has served as pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Grand Rapids since July 2023, and continues to serve as the master of ceremonies for the bishop since he was ordained in 2003. Previously he was pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Belmont, MI.

Fr. Tony earned a bachelor's degree in history from Saint Meinrad College in 1995, and a Master of Divinity from the Athenaeum of Ohio, Cincinnatti in 2003.

Dcn. Peter “Pete” Rendon, PD‘20 (‘16-20), is a graduate of the Saint Meinrad Permanent Diaconate Program, class of 2020, and serves as a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY. He is assigned to All Saints Catholic Church, Taylorsville, KY, and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Fairfield, KY. He is also engaged in several other ministries, including as a Catholic presence at Central State Hospital in Louisville, where he performs communion services; at Signature Healthcare, Taylorsville, providing communion to residents; and he visits the sick and homebound in his assigned parishes.

Dcn. Pete is also involved in pastoral care ministry, working with local hospital chaplains to provide a priest when needed as patient care requires, and with Mass of the Air. He is retired as an Aircraft Quality Control Specialist with the Kentucky Air National Guard, but currently serves with the Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT), Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, as chapter president and as executive vice president on the board for the National ACT in Washington, DC. 

Pete and his wife, Carmen, have two adult children, and two four-legged fur babies, Moses and Lucie, both Bichons. They live in Taylorsville, KY, and are members of All Saints Catholic Church, Taylorsville, and the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville.