The 2026 Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., Award: Deacon Ned Berghausen '08 M.Ed.

In recognition of his devotion to Catholic education, ministry, and service to neglected and forgotten communities, Deacon Ned Berghausen ’08 M.Ed., is honored with the 2026 Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., Award.

Berghausen’s commitment to service began as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005. While traveling in Thailand, he survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and assisted in rescuing fellow survivors. This profound experience sparked a spiritual awakening that ultimately guided him toward a vocation in theology, ministry, and the diaconate.

Upon returning to the United States, Berghausen joined Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education program, laying the foundation for his career as an educator. Over the past two decades, he has formed young people as a theology teacher and served in campus ministry across four Catholic high schools.

Ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Louisville in 2020, Berghausen serves at St. Agnes Parish. A central element of his ministry is directing the Unmarked Graves Project at St. Louis Cemetery—an initiative dedicated to identifying the resting places and sharing the forgotten stories of 1,588 Black Catholics buried between 1867 and 1937 without markers.

Additionally, Berghausen advances the dialogue between faith and science as a writer and speaker. He frequently collaborates with his wife, Dr. Kate Bulinski, a paleontologist, and contributes lesson plans and presentations to the Science and Religion Initiative at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life. Berghausen and his wife have four children: EJ (10) and triplets Petra, Miriam, and Max (7).

“Receiving the Cavanaugh Award inspires me to continue working for justice by serving students and those whose stories have been neglected or forgotten. The University of Notre Dame has played a critical role in my formation and I am honored to be recognized.”