Mark Pivarunas entered the religious life in September of 1974. After a year’s postulancy, he entered the novitiate on September 8, 1975, taking the religious name of Brother Mary Tarcisius. He made his first profession of vows on September 12, 1976. Four years later, on the same feast day, he made his final profession of vows in the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen.

Brother Tarcisius received the usual seminary training, displaying proficiency in philosophy and in dogmatic and moral theology. Having received the commendation of his superiors for his progress in both virtue and learning, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 27, 1985, by the Most Reverend George Musey.

Father Tarcisius served as rector of the Congregation’s seminary for four years, and was then elected Superior General in 1989. His zeal for souls had led him to travel extensively throughout Nebraska and into neighboring states to provide the Mass and sacraments for the members of his flock.

Since his elevation to the episcopacy by the Most Reverend Moises Carmona on September 24, 1991, Bishop Pivarunas has founded and operated Mater Dei Seminary at his parish in Omaha. His travels have necessarily become more extensive as he visits numerous parishes in the United States, Mexico, Canada and elsewhere to administer Confirmation and to ordain. Bishop Pivarunas has been an indefatigable worker toward unity among traditional Catholics in these times of confusion and error. Since his consecration, he has provided the Church with two bishops, numerous new priests, and has administered the sacrament of Confirmation to several thousand children and adults throughout the U.S., Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, South America, and Europe. He has indeed lived up to the motto he took for his episcopacy: Animam pro ovibus ponere (To lay down my life for the sheep). To go the extra mile for someone in need is his way of life; he knows no other.