Deacon Michael Kunitz ordained to priesthood, Luke Iyengar ordained to reader
Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla ordained Deacon Michael David Kunitz to the Presbyterate and Seminarian Luke Rajan Iyengar to Minor Orders at the Cathedral of Saint John in Munhall, Pa. on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021.
Concelebrants for the Divine Liturgy were Cathedral Rector Very Reverend Andrew J. Deskevich; Seminary Rector Very Reverend Robert M. Pipta; Very Reverend Frank A. Firko. Pastor of Holy Ghost Church in McKees Rocks, Pa.; and Reverend Father Will Rupp, Administrator of SS. Peter and Paul Church in Duquesne, Pa. Sub-Deacon Kyprian Wojciechowski served as the Master of Ceremonies, and Sub-Deacon Timothy Fariss and the Seminarians assisted. Seminarian Nathan Tapsak was the cantor.
The newly ordained Father Michael was born on March 2, 1993 in Dearborn, Mich., the second of the three sons of David W. Kunitz and Margaret E. Merren Kunitz. He graduated cum laude from St. Mary’s Preparatory High School in Orchard Lake, Mich. in 2011. He has experience in teaching both on the elementary level and as a catechist to high school students.
He began his Theological education at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. In 2013, his studies took him to the Oriental Institute in Rome. Returning to Aquinas, he and a group of fellow students founded the college’s Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s Fellowship to facilitate education on Eastern Christian Spirituality and Ecumenism on campus. He served as president of the fellowship during his senior year. The completion of his time at Aquinas College brought him to graduation in Dec. 2015 with honors in Theology and the Bachelor of Arts degree.
Sad to say, Father Michael’s mother Margaret fell asleep in the Lord in July 2016, shortly before he entered SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary.
Most Reverend Milan Lach S.J. ordained him to minor orders and the sub-diaconate on Dec. 29, 2019 at his parish church, St. Stephen in Allen Park, Mich. He graduated from the Seminary with the Master of Divinity degree in May 2020, and in June of that year, Sub-Deacon Michael and Janine Golub were married in St. Stephen Church. He was accepted for service in the Archeparchy, and Archbishop William C. Skurla ordained him to the Diaconate on Oct. 3, 2021.
As his first pastorate, the Archbishop has assigned Father Michael administrator of Holy Spirit and St. Pius X parishes, both in Pittsburgh.
Reader Luke Iyengar is of a family of long standing at Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church in McKees Rocks, Pa. His mother, grandmother, pastors and other family members were particularly influential in his early discernment for his vocation to the priesthood. His elementary and high school educations were in local Catholic schools. Luke earned both the Bachelor and Master degrees in Theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio where he was named the outstanding Senior for the 2014-15 Academic Year. He briefly taught Theology there before entering SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in 2019.
Axios! May God grant to His servants the Priest Michael and Reader Luke peace, health and happiness for many blessed years!
Father Michael Kunitz
Reader Luke Iyengar
