May 19, 2026 // Diocese

Holy Cross College Honors St. Stanislaus Kostka Pastor for Teaching Excellence

Todays Catholic

Father Brian Carpenter, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in New Carlisle and an adjunct professor of theology at Holy Cross College, was recognized on Thursday, May 14, with Holy Cross College’s Excellence in Education in Teaching Award for adjunct faculty.

Presented during the college’s annual faculty and staff luncheon, the award recognizes Father Carpenter’s impact on students through theology instruction, mentorship and formation.

In nomination materials shared during the presentation, Father Carpenter was praised for challenging “students’ critical thinking skills while ensuring that they are prepared for real ethical situations that may test their morals and spirits.”

Another nominator wrote that Father Carpenter “offers a perspective on living the right life and allows students to become a force for good.”

For Father Carpenter, the recognition was humbling.

“To hear about the positive impact you have on people is really wonderful,” Father Carpenter said.

Photo provided by Holy Cross College

Father Carpenter pointed to mentors throughout his own formation, including priests and teachers, as influences on his vocation.

“So many people mentored me who were teachers,” Father Carpenter said. “I had an uncle who was a Holy Cross priest. To see myself now in the lives of students, and to think about the priests who taught me, it’s a really powerful and humbling thing.”

Ordained in 2009, Father Carpenter served in parishes in the Diocese of Rochester, New York, before joining the academic and formation faculty at St. Mary’s Seminary and University. He later served as an assistant professor of systematic theology and as a spiritual director while completing his doctoral studies. Father Carpenter began ministry in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend in 2022 and was incardinated into the diocese in August of 2025.

Today, Father Carpenter balances parish ministry with a demanding teaching schedule, instructing six theology courses this past academic year while serving parishioners at St. Stanislaus Kostka.

“Mornings tend to be parish work. Afternoons are teaching,” Father Carpenter said. “Both of them energize me in different ways.”

That connection between parish and classroom often overlaps.

“One of the things I’ve noticed is students are really engaged,” Father Carpenter said. “They want Christ and meaning.”

Walking alongside students during formative years remains among the most rewarding parts of his ministry.

“As they grow into who they are as a child of God, that’s what motivates me,” Father Carpenter said. “Certainly, having the support of the parish, the students, administration and Bishop Rhoades is so encouraging.”

Matthew Palmer is the associate vice president for integrated marketing and communications at Holy Cross College.