About this episode

Fr. Dave Pivonka discusses his background in sports, his role as president of Franciscan University, and the influence of his faith and community on his life.

Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, is the president of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio and is our guest on this episode. Fr. Dave grew up in a devoted Catholic family and he and his siblings were very involved in various types of sports. Fr. Dave liked the competitive nature of sports, but most appreciated the relationships that are prevalent in team sports. Looking back, he realizes how the lessons he learned in his early years in sports helped shape him for his current role. As the president of a university, Fr. Dave is a very busy man who has many responsibilities. With a full day in front of him, he finds that spending 30 to 45 minutes on a treadmill each morning before going to the office is very beneficial to his day. Fr. Dave also recently attended a Notre Dame game and is a Denver Broncos fan. He can’t imagine his life without sports. Fr. Dave explains the three types of Franciscan Orders and the Third Order Regular (TOR). Although he felt called to the priesthood at a young age, Fr. Dave knew that he was not called to be a diocesan priest. He needed to be in a community, a brotherhood that supports each other. He lives with nineteen Friars and enjoys the camaraderie…

People in this episode

Hosts: Paul Michelini, Randy Laya

Guest: Fr. Dave Pivonka

Topics covered

• sports
• religion
• spirituality
• team dynamics
• Catholicism
• Franciscan Orders

Keywords

• Fr. Dave Pivonka
• Franciscan University
• sports
• Catholic faith
• team sports
• St. Francis
• priesthood
• TOR

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Franciscan University

Places: Steubenville, Ohio, Notre Dame, Denver

More episodes of The Catholic Sportsman Show Podcast

• Bishop John Barres - Don’t Play Sports for Your Own Ego, Play it for the Glory of God · May 29, 2026 · 58 min
• Johnny Rodriguez - Walk Through Life With A Smile · May 12, 2026 · 50 min
• Fr Ben Keller - The Power of Small Sacrifices · April 9, 2026 · 47 min
• Bryan Richardson - How I became a Christian first and an Athlete second! · March 18, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Lauri Hauser - IC2KG - Know, Love, Serve, Share · February 19, 2026 · 49 min
• Chris Vander Woude presenting Tom Vander Woude - A Saint is a Sinner That Never Gives Up · January 29, 2026 · 57 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Catholic Sportsman Show Podcast podcast page.