NACEC Clergy Biographies:
Stories of our Spiritual Journeys
David Doyle, Presiding Bishop of the NACEC;
Pastor, Christ the King Old Catholic Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
My name is David Doyle, and I am a bishop of the Old Catholic Church, retired from the parish of Christ the King Old Catholic Church, pre-COVID formerly in residence in the Lovelace Women’s Hospital Chapel in Albuquerque. I have been a bishop for 15 years and an ordained priest for 33. My BA is in Studio Art and Education, from Loras College, Dubuque, IA. I hold an M Div from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD, and MA from the University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. I love and respect the Roman Catholic Church, and admire and respect the Sulpicians and faculty at St. Mary's and Jesuits at USF. They provided me with an education and understanding of priesthood and ministry. In 2003 my company, Acorns to Oaks, obtained a contract with the New Mexico Dept. of Health and established and ran a successful not-for-profit agency providing Family Living and Respite Services, and Day Habilitation services on the DD Medicaid Waiver for 5 years. In 2008 I joined the State of New Mexico Dept. of Health on the Quality Enhancement Survey Team observing and visiting persons with developmental disabilities in their homes and service provider agencies and so forth. I have been a University of Phoenix Faculty member since 2004 through 2020 in the Humanities Dept. Those are essentially the facts, though my spiritual journey is not really described in them. In 1996 I married my husband Daniel at the MCC in Albuquerque, and legally in 2015 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Some people can identify when they joined the Church or found inspiration to the religious life. I never did because the Catholic Church was always a part of my life. I grew up just a block away from my parish church, the Cathedral. I was an altar boy since I was 7 years old, and remained an altar boy through college. I liked church, and being around priests and sisters and church life. That is why I went to Loras, a Catholic college. I chose seminary and priesthood after college and was a Roman Catholic priest for 15 years, until I took a Leave of Absence and never looked back. I loved parish work and high school working with the students and families. But that time came when I had to call the archbishop and tell him I doubted I wanted to be a priest. I moved out to Santa Fe and Albuquerque where a St. Mary’s classmate and his wife had moved and settled into my new life with my life partner Dan. I knew I missed the church, but realized I liked being Catholic, just not Roman Catholic. Over several years I experimented with churches and spiritual life (Episcopalian, Science of Mind, Unity, MCC, even the local RC parish… and remembered why I left! The droning and mechanic attitude of the priest was so unmoving and dry I wanted to cough out the dust when I left the church) and found the Old Catholic/Independent Catholic movement. The first OC/IC church I joined was the Holy Catholic Church under Archbishop Robert “Marty” Martin, then the Independent Evangelical Catholic Church in America (IECCA) with
Bishop James Wilkowski, and realized our own jurisdiction of the NACEC in 2009. Currently I am the pastor of Christ the King Old Catholic Church and have hospital Mass and chaplaincy for my ministry, but also working with engaged couples for marriage as well as disabled individuals and their families in my NM DOH work. Ministry is working with the People of God where they are, not where I want them to be. For some years I was with the Albuquerque Police Dept. as a volunteer Chaplain, which was
extremely rewarding.
Pastor, Christ the King Old Catholic Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
My name is David Doyle, and I am a bishop of the Old Catholic Church, retired from the parish of Christ the King Old Catholic Church, pre-COVID formerly in residence in the Lovelace Women’s Hospital Chapel in Albuquerque. I have been a bishop for 15 years and an ordained priest for 33. My BA is in Studio Art and Education, from Loras College, Dubuque, IA. I hold an M Div from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD, and MA from the University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. I love and respect the Roman Catholic Church, and admire and respect the Sulpicians and faculty at St. Mary's and Jesuits at USF. They provided me with an education and understanding of priesthood and ministry. In 2003 my company, Acorns to Oaks, obtained a contract with the New Mexico Dept. of Health and established and ran a successful not-for-profit agency providing Family Living and Respite Services, and Day Habilitation services on the DD Medicaid Waiver for 5 years. In 2008 I joined the State of New Mexico Dept. of Health on the Quality Enhancement Survey Team observing and visiting persons with developmental disabilities in their homes and service provider agencies and so forth. I have been a University of Phoenix Faculty member since 2004 through 2020 in the Humanities Dept. Those are essentially the facts, though my spiritual journey is not really described in them. In 1996 I married my husband Daniel at the MCC in Albuquerque, and legally in 2015 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Some people can identify when they joined the Church or found inspiration to the religious life. I never did because the Catholic Church was always a part of my life. I grew up just a block away from my parish church, the Cathedral. I was an altar boy since I was 7 years old, and remained an altar boy through college. I liked church, and being around priests and sisters and church life. That is why I went to Loras, a Catholic college. I chose seminary and priesthood after college and was a Roman Catholic priest for 15 years, until I took a Leave of Absence and never looked back. I loved parish work and high school working with the students and families. But that time came when I had to call the archbishop and tell him I doubted I wanted to be a priest. I moved out to Santa Fe and Albuquerque where a St. Mary’s classmate and his wife had moved and settled into my new life with my life partner Dan. I knew I missed the church, but realized I liked being Catholic, just not Roman Catholic. Over several years I experimented with churches and spiritual life (Episcopalian, Science of Mind, Unity, MCC, even the local RC parish… and remembered why I left! The droning and mechanic attitude of the priest was so unmoving and dry I wanted to cough out the dust when I left the church) and found the Old Catholic/Independent Catholic movement. The first OC/IC church I joined was the Holy Catholic Church under Archbishop Robert “Marty” Martin, then the Independent Evangelical Catholic Church in America (IECCA) with
Bishop James Wilkowski, and realized our own jurisdiction of the NACEC in 2009. Currently I am the pastor of Christ the King Old Catholic Church and have hospital Mass and chaplaincy for my ministry, but also working with engaged couples for marriage as well as disabled individuals and their families in my NM DOH work. Ministry is working with the People of God where they are, not where I want them to be. For some years I was with the Albuquerque Police Dept. as a volunteer Chaplain, which was
extremely rewarding.
Daniel Kitchens, II NACEC Pastor, St. Mary the Virgin Anglo-Catholic Mission
Daniel is currently a priest with NACEC and Pastor of St. Mary The Virgin,
Anglo- Catholic Mission.
Converting to Catholicism at the age of 16, his spirituality in Christ has grown through Tradition and Teachings of Christ through the Gospel and Prayer. He felt his calling to serve the Lord shortly after his conversion, yet something seemed to be missing. Upon leaving the Church for various teachings and policies against humanity, Daniel felt a strong void in his life. Often questioning faith and practice of modern day religion, especially the un-openess to certain sects or groups of people. In 2008 he met the Old Catholic Church, and realized that there was a place for everyone at Christ's table. A home in which he longed for in years past. In 2009 his calling had returned and shortly after, he began studies towards Priesthood.
On August 15, 2011, On the Feast of St. Mary The Virgin (Assumption of Mary), Bishop David Doyle authorized Daniel to begin forming St. Mary The Virgin Anglo-Catholic Mission in Las Vegas. St. Mary The Virgin Anglo-Catholic Mission is a Traditional Faith Community in an ever changing world. We are part of one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, celebrating the Mysteries of faith in Christ's very own Church. The modern world has been faced with many changes through out the ages and most Christian Churches are reluctant to accept everyone. We, as part of The North American Catholic Ecumenical Church, are an inclusive, welcoming community of faith. It doesn't matter where your life has been, or where it may take you. What is important is that we all realize the love of the Father and acknowledge that Christ did not turn away anyone in his ministry and he welcomes all to his table, feeding everyone spiritually.
In keeping with Tradition, we are a Eucharistic community, celebrating by use of The Book of Common Prayer 1979. We maintain devotions to Divine Mercy, The Sacred Heart of Christ and St. Mary, The Virgin Mother of God.
Daniel is currently a priest with NACEC and Pastor of St. Mary The Virgin,
Anglo- Catholic Mission.
Converting to Catholicism at the age of 16, his spirituality in Christ has grown through Tradition and Teachings of Christ through the Gospel and Prayer. He felt his calling to serve the Lord shortly after his conversion, yet something seemed to be missing. Upon leaving the Church for various teachings and policies against humanity, Daniel felt a strong void in his life. Often questioning faith and practice of modern day religion, especially the un-openess to certain sects or groups of people. In 2008 he met the Old Catholic Church, and realized that there was a place for everyone at Christ's table. A home in which he longed for in years past. In 2009 his calling had returned and shortly after, he began studies towards Priesthood.
On August 15, 2011, On the Feast of St. Mary The Virgin (Assumption of Mary), Bishop David Doyle authorized Daniel to begin forming St. Mary The Virgin Anglo-Catholic Mission in Las Vegas. St. Mary The Virgin Anglo-Catholic Mission is a Traditional Faith Community in an ever changing world. We are part of one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, celebrating the Mysteries of faith in Christ's very own Church. The modern world has been faced with many changes through out the ages and most Christian Churches are reluctant to accept everyone. We, as part of The North American Catholic Ecumenical Church, are an inclusive, welcoming community of faith. It doesn't matter where your life has been, or where it may take you. What is important is that we all realize the love of the Father and acknowledge that Christ did not turn away anyone in his ministry and he welcomes all to his table, feeding everyone spiritually.
In keeping with Tradition, we are a Eucharistic community, celebrating by use of The Book of Common Prayer 1979. We maintain devotions to Divine Mercy, The Sacred Heart of Christ and St. Mary, The Virgin Mother of God.
Jon Scott West, Retired
My journey with God begins as an Atheist. I attended a foot washing service on Holy Thursday, and thought it rather disgusting. On the next day I was caring for a man who was dying. I was rather bothered by the fact that I had to clean his body, and then I became aware of the connection between what I was doing and the ceremony that I had attended the night before and then I became aware of God.
I began attending church, and slowly began to be involved in the many facets of the lay ministries within that church. One day, when my partner and I were sitting down to dinner, the phone rang, and it was a man who said he was a Bishop from a church I'd never heard of (the Old Catholic Church) and that I had been elected to the priesthood for a local church in the Baker District in Denver Colorado.
With some negotiation, I convinced him to ordain me as a Deacon first, and then, if it made sense, to ordain me as a priest.
We moved forward with that plan and on November 14, 1993 I was ordained to the priesthood, with training under that Bishop
It became quickly clear that this was not enough to be an adequate priest, so I signed up for Clinical Pastoral Education in 1996. I quickly learned that my very traditional Bishop was not happy with my choice to seek further training in the presbyterate, and my practice of providing sacraments to my patients on the basis of need rather than affiliation. In the Hospital, so many times, you don't have time to interview a person (or baby) to find out their innermost beliefs, after all, Grace is offered freely to all, so why not the sacraments, especially when death is imminent?
During that period, that particular Bishop and I mutually agreed to a separation, and through a roundabout path God graced me with finding Bishop David John Doyle, and under his direction, I have continued in the priesthood to this day.
My journey with God begins as an Atheist. I attended a foot washing service on Holy Thursday, and thought it rather disgusting. On the next day I was caring for a man who was dying. I was rather bothered by the fact that I had to clean his body, and then I became aware of the connection between what I was doing and the ceremony that I had attended the night before and then I became aware of God.
I began attending church, and slowly began to be involved in the many facets of the lay ministries within that church. One day, when my partner and I were sitting down to dinner, the phone rang, and it was a man who said he was a Bishop from a church I'd never heard of (the Old Catholic Church) and that I had been elected to the priesthood for a local church in the Baker District in Denver Colorado.
With some negotiation, I convinced him to ordain me as a Deacon first, and then, if it made sense, to ordain me as a priest.
We moved forward with that plan and on November 14, 1993 I was ordained to the priesthood, with training under that Bishop
It became quickly clear that this was not enough to be an adequate priest, so I signed up for Clinical Pastoral Education in 1996. I quickly learned that my very traditional Bishop was not happy with my choice to seek further training in the presbyterate, and my practice of providing sacraments to my patients on the basis of need rather than affiliation. In the Hospital, so many times, you don't have time to interview a person (or baby) to find out their innermost beliefs, after all, Grace is offered freely to all, so why not the sacraments, especially when death is imminent?
During that period, that particular Bishop and I mutually agreed to a separation, and through a roundabout path God graced me with finding Bishop David John Doyle, and under his direction, I have continued in the priesthood to this day.
Philip Brookover, Retired
Alex Oneto, Resigned
Father Alex Oneto, osf, is a member of the Franciscans of the Risen Christ and has been a member of the NACEC for four years. He is a resident of Dorchester Massachusetts and serves as Pastor of The Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Mission in Boston Massachusetts. The Cabrini Mission is in Residence at the Church of St Augustine/St Martin Anglo-Catholic Church.
Fr Alex is a US Navy Veteran having served on active duty from 1970-72. At the time of his discharge, from active service to reserve status, he had attained the Rate of HM2 (E-5). Following his return to civilian life, Fr Alex attended Jamestown Community College for 2 yrs, and then transferred to Simmons College in Syracuse NY, where he graduated in 1976 with a Major in Funeral and Mortuary Administration. He continued to pursue a career as a Funeral Director until in 1978 when he answered his call to be a Franciscan at which time he entered the community of The Conventual Franciscans.
Although Fr Alex left the seminary and the Franciscan Order, his desire to serve God’s People never left. In his career over the ensuing years Fr Alex served in many capacities in which his skills and his charity were of great service to those in need. For almost 20 yrs Fr Alex has served on several Boards of the Fenway Health in Boston, and currently sits on 3 Boards for them. In addition, Fr Alex has also served on the Board of the Boston Living Center, a service organization which serves the communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
Fr Alex has been a Reserve Deputy Sheriff and in that role he has served in various capacity on the Board of the Gay Officers Action League of New England, most notable he was the recipient of the Goal New England award in 2005, this is the highest award is given to a Member for their dedication to the organization and for their community.
During his formation, Fr Alex served at the Parish of the Holy Family in Boston, studied Philosophy and Theology extensively over several years and was ordained Deacon in April 2010.
At that time Deacon Alex ministered to his local community in Boston and Providence RI. Deacon Alex was Ordained to the Priesthood on March 5th, 2011, by +Bishop David Doyle, in the presence of his family, colleagues and many friends from around the country. Following his ordination Fr Alex continued to serve, in a fraternal and intercommunion, with Parishes throughout the New England region including Boston and its environs and Rhode Island.
Fr Alex remains active in several local Boston Non-profit entities, most notably those serving the needy and in health care. He continues to minister to a number of Police and Military organizations, and in May 2012 was invited to lead a Memorial Service for a Fallen Police Officer at the Annual “Police Week” held in Washington DC and sponsored by “Protect and Defend” a national organization of GLBT Police and Military members. This was as a result of a Memorial Fr Alex lead on September 11, 2011, the 10th Anniversary of America’s greatest single terrorist event, the Memorial he lead was held in the Public Gardens of Boston.
Father Alex Oneto, osf, is a member of the Franciscans of the Risen Christ and has been a member of the NACEC for four years. He is a resident of Dorchester Massachusetts and serves as Pastor of The Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Mission in Boston Massachusetts. The Cabrini Mission is in Residence at the Church of St Augustine/St Martin Anglo-Catholic Church.
Fr Alex is a US Navy Veteran having served on active duty from 1970-72. At the time of his discharge, from active service to reserve status, he had attained the Rate of HM2 (E-5). Following his return to civilian life, Fr Alex attended Jamestown Community College for 2 yrs, and then transferred to Simmons College in Syracuse NY, where he graduated in 1976 with a Major in Funeral and Mortuary Administration. He continued to pursue a career as a Funeral Director until in 1978 when he answered his call to be a Franciscan at which time he entered the community of The Conventual Franciscans.
Although Fr Alex left the seminary and the Franciscan Order, his desire to serve God’s People never left. In his career over the ensuing years Fr Alex served in many capacities in which his skills and his charity were of great service to those in need. For almost 20 yrs Fr Alex has served on several Boards of the Fenway Health in Boston, and currently sits on 3 Boards for them. In addition, Fr Alex has also served on the Board of the Boston Living Center, a service organization which serves the communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
Fr Alex has been a Reserve Deputy Sheriff and in that role he has served in various capacity on the Board of the Gay Officers Action League of New England, most notable he was the recipient of the Goal New England award in 2005, this is the highest award is given to a Member for their dedication to the organization and for their community.
During his formation, Fr Alex served at the Parish of the Holy Family in Boston, studied Philosophy and Theology extensively over several years and was ordained Deacon in April 2010.
At that time Deacon Alex ministered to his local community in Boston and Providence RI. Deacon Alex was Ordained to the Priesthood on March 5th, 2011, by +Bishop David Doyle, in the presence of his family, colleagues and many friends from around the country. Following his ordination Fr Alex continued to serve, in a fraternal and intercommunion, with Parishes throughout the New England region including Boston and its environs and Rhode Island.
Fr Alex remains active in several local Boston Non-profit entities, most notably those serving the needy and in health care. He continues to minister to a number of Police and Military organizations, and in May 2012 was invited to lead a Memorial Service for a Fallen Police Officer at the Annual “Police Week” held in Washington DC and sponsored by “Protect and Defend” a national organization of GLBT Police and Military members. This was as a result of a Memorial Fr Alex lead on September 11, 2011, the 10th Anniversary of America’s greatest single terrorist event, the Memorial he lead was held in the Public Gardens of Boston.
Joseph N Goh, Retired
Rev. Joseph N. Goh spent two years at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, where he earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) as well as a Master of Theology (ThM) in Systematic Theology, focusing mainly on sacraments, ritual and ethnology. Since then, his areas of interest have expanded to queer theology, masculine studies, LGBTQ studies, contemporary philosophy, Malaysian
studies and gender and sexuality issues. Goh is a volunteer with PT Foundation, a community-based non-profit that seeks to foster HIV/AIDS awareness and empowerment among Malaysians, chiefly among sex workers, transgenders and men who have sex with men (MSM). He is now pursuing a PhD in Gender, Sexuality and Theology at the School of Arts and Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia. Goh is involved in diverse, unconventional forms of ministry through academia, publications, public speaking, personal encounters and preaching opportunities, particularly for sexual minorities. Goh owns a personal website at www.josephgoh.org and can be reached at [email protected].
Rev. Joseph N. Goh spent two years at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, where he earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) as well as a Master of Theology (ThM) in Systematic Theology, focusing mainly on sacraments, ritual and ethnology. Since then, his areas of interest have expanded to queer theology, masculine studies, LGBTQ studies, contemporary philosophy, Malaysian
studies and gender and sexuality issues. Goh is a volunteer with PT Foundation, a community-based non-profit that seeks to foster HIV/AIDS awareness and empowerment among Malaysians, chiefly among sex workers, transgenders and men who have sex with men (MSM). He is now pursuing a PhD in Gender, Sexuality and Theology at the School of Arts and Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia. Goh is involved in diverse, unconventional forms of ministry through academia, publications, public speaking, personal encounters and preaching opportunities, particularly for sexual minorities. Goh owns a personal website at www.josephgoh.org and can be reached at [email protected].
Bradley Scott Burris, Presiding Bishop for NACEC
Episcopal Vicar for Military and Uniformed Services
Captain, California State Military Reserve/CSMR, Retired
Fr. B. Scott Burris began his formation as chaplain of Ecumenical Faith at a very early age. His father was a convert to Catholicism from the Methodist Faith. His mother was a covert to Catholicism from a non-denominational background. When each parent found their way to Catholicism, independent of the other, they had their family of three daughters baptized with them. The fourth daughter was born a Roman Catholic two hours later. Their next three children were all born Roman Catholic with Scott being the seventh.
The first part of Scott’s Formation in the Priesthood began at the age of ten, when after watching the Altar Boys at Mass, he decided that he wanted to become a priest. In the middle of fifth grade, he was transferred from public school to St. Gregory’s Catholic School. He began reading the bible in earnest and joined the Society of Divine Word Missionaries as a high school freshman. During his senior year, his plans for attending Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa were put on hold. Iran captured the U.S. Embassy and threatened war. Within a week, Scott joined the United States Navy and began serving as a Hospital Corpsman, in Beirut Lebanon, in the Persian Gulf and with the Third Marine Division in Okinawa. Over the course of the next eight years, Scott served as Catholic Lay Leader at every Command where he served. During that time, Scott’s desire to be a priest remained. However, having spent so much time outside of the United States, Scott’s desire to be a missionary priest was transformed to wanting to be a Diocesan priest.
Having obtained his Bachelor’s Degree at night school while serving on Active Duty, Scott transferred to the Navy Reserves in 1989 and entered the Pre-Theology Program at University of California, Riverside. The following year, he transferred to St. Patrick’s Seminary. He was given a Commission as an Ensign in the Chaplain Candidate Program. After graduation from Navy Chaplain School in 1991, Scott learned that a chaplain on a ship of hundreds of crewmen is not a minister of just one faith, but rather the minister of all faiths. This part of his Formation as an Ecumenical Chaplain deeply influenced his continued priesthood formation at St. Patrick’s Seminary.
After completing his fifth year of seminary in 1994, Scott embraced his relationship with Mark Venes. He left celibacy and quickly sought out affiliation with the Ecumenical Catholic Church. In 1995, Scott professed his candidacy for priesthood at the Church Synod in Santa Rosa, CA. In 1996, Scott was ordained a Deacon at the Church Synod in Austin, TX. In 1997, Deacon Scott was ordained a priest at the Church Synod in Chicago, IL and there met his future Ordinary, Bishop Dave Doyle. The following year, Scott and Mark were joined in marriage. Over the next fifteen years, Fr. Scott provided funeral services and public prayer when called upon, but also continued his exploration of world religions, studying Mormonism, Judaism, Paganism, Buddhism, and Islam.
In 2012, the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars asked Fr. Scott to become their Chaplain for Post 1508. Scott applied to renew priestly Faculties with the NACEC and began functioning as an Ecumenical Chaplain. In 2015, Fr. Scott was re-commissioned by the California State Military Reserves and holds the rank of Army Captain. In 2016, the Marine Corps League asked Fr. Scott to become their Chaplain for Detachment 1057. Over the past five years, the Cities of Wildomar and Lake Elsinore have requested Chaplain Scott to provide the Benediction at public events.
On February 19th, 2017, Fr. Scott was appointed as Bishop’s Chaplain and Vicar for Military and Uniform Services and was elevated to the position of Monsignor. He continues to provide ministry to uniformed men and women of all faiths, fully embracing the tenants of the North American Catholic Ecumenical Church.
Episcopal Vicar for Military and Uniformed Services
Captain, California State Military Reserve/CSMR, Retired
Fr. B. Scott Burris began his formation as chaplain of Ecumenical Faith at a very early age. His father was a convert to Catholicism from the Methodist Faith. His mother was a covert to Catholicism from a non-denominational background. When each parent found their way to Catholicism, independent of the other, they had their family of three daughters baptized with them. The fourth daughter was born a Roman Catholic two hours later. Their next three children were all born Roman Catholic with Scott being the seventh.
The first part of Scott’s Formation in the Priesthood began at the age of ten, when after watching the Altar Boys at Mass, he decided that he wanted to become a priest. In the middle of fifth grade, he was transferred from public school to St. Gregory’s Catholic School. He began reading the bible in earnest and joined the Society of Divine Word Missionaries as a high school freshman. During his senior year, his plans for attending Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa were put on hold. Iran captured the U.S. Embassy and threatened war. Within a week, Scott joined the United States Navy and began serving as a Hospital Corpsman, in Beirut Lebanon, in the Persian Gulf and with the Third Marine Division in Okinawa. Over the course of the next eight years, Scott served as Catholic Lay Leader at every Command where he served. During that time, Scott’s desire to be a priest remained. However, having spent so much time outside of the United States, Scott’s desire to be a missionary priest was transformed to wanting to be a Diocesan priest.
Having obtained his Bachelor’s Degree at night school while serving on Active Duty, Scott transferred to the Navy Reserves in 1989 and entered the Pre-Theology Program at University of California, Riverside. The following year, he transferred to St. Patrick’s Seminary. He was given a Commission as an Ensign in the Chaplain Candidate Program. After graduation from Navy Chaplain School in 1991, Scott learned that a chaplain on a ship of hundreds of crewmen is not a minister of just one faith, but rather the minister of all faiths. This part of his Formation as an Ecumenical Chaplain deeply influenced his continued priesthood formation at St. Patrick’s Seminary.
After completing his fifth year of seminary in 1994, Scott embraced his relationship with Mark Venes. He left celibacy and quickly sought out affiliation with the Ecumenical Catholic Church. In 1995, Scott professed his candidacy for priesthood at the Church Synod in Santa Rosa, CA. In 1996, Scott was ordained a Deacon at the Church Synod in Austin, TX. In 1997, Deacon Scott was ordained a priest at the Church Synod in Chicago, IL and there met his future Ordinary, Bishop Dave Doyle. The following year, Scott and Mark were joined in marriage. Over the next fifteen years, Fr. Scott provided funeral services and public prayer when called upon, but also continued his exploration of world religions, studying Mormonism, Judaism, Paganism, Buddhism, and Islam.
In 2012, the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars asked Fr. Scott to become their Chaplain for Post 1508. Scott applied to renew priestly Faculties with the NACEC and began functioning as an Ecumenical Chaplain. In 2015, Fr. Scott was re-commissioned by the California State Military Reserves and holds the rank of Army Captain. In 2016, the Marine Corps League asked Fr. Scott to become their Chaplain for Detachment 1057. Over the past five years, the Cities of Wildomar and Lake Elsinore have requested Chaplain Scott to provide the Benediction at public events.
On February 19th, 2017, Fr. Scott was appointed as Bishop’s Chaplain and Vicar for Military and Uniform Services and was elevated to the position of Monsignor. He continues to provide ministry to uniformed men and women of all faiths, fully embracing the tenants of the North American Catholic Ecumenical Church.
Mark Schwarz
Pastor, Christ the King Old Catholic Church, Albuquerque
Fr. Mark Schwarz began his walk along the path to priesthood as a young boy, serving Mass at his local church in Sacramento, Ca. After entering junior college in 1973, he decided to try for a career as a military chaplain, enrolling in Army ROTC thru UC Davis extension program, but a serious eye injury at the end of his first year resulted in his being classified 4F, rejected for service for medical reasons. He then was accepted at St. Patrick’s College, the seminary of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
After four years at St. Patrick’s he chose to take time to re-examine his goals, having become disillusioned with the Catholic Church. He transferred to California State University/CSU Sacramento, where he took degrees in humanities, history, and English Language. Meanwhile, he returned to his home parish church. He joined the choir, tasked with selecting music which was thematically based on each Sunday’s readings. Soon, the diocese asked him to join a group of lay people who were training for various areas of ministry within the churches of the diocese. This decision led to a rekindling of his desire to be a priest, just not Roman.
By now, Mark had accepted that he was a normal, gay man, so he began to explore and to grow his personal life. Ultimately, he met and later married the true love of his life, Carl Clack. They had first met online, and quickly discovered they had many shared experiences. One of those was that they were both in the same fraternity in college. They held many of the same moral values.
The conflict Mark felt within himself in relation to RC rules concerning homosexual priests, led him to seek another route to the ordination he still felt called to. This in turn led him to the Old Catholic Church of America/OCCOA, and a second fraternity brother, Bishop Raymond Niblock, who welcomed him, and after properly vetting him, decided to ordain him to the office of Deacon. A year later, on Aug 2, 2015, he was ordained a priest.
After two years of joyful work, during which Mark suffered thru serious arthritis and other health issues, he withdrew from the Old Catholic Church of America/OCCOA. While his ministry of service to God’s People has been curtailed temporarily, he is able to assist Bishop David Doyle as Pastor at Christ the King Old Catholic Church, the parish pre-COVID located in the Chapel of Lovelace Women’s Hospital, in Albuquerque NM, where he visits patients, says Mass, performs weddings, and baptisms, and provides counseling. Currently Christ the King OCC Parish meets at Bishop-Elect Mark's home chapel.
Pastor, Christ the King Old Catholic Church, Albuquerque
Fr. Mark Schwarz began his walk along the path to priesthood as a young boy, serving Mass at his local church in Sacramento, Ca. After entering junior college in 1973, he decided to try for a career as a military chaplain, enrolling in Army ROTC thru UC Davis extension program, but a serious eye injury at the end of his first year resulted in his being classified 4F, rejected for service for medical reasons. He then was accepted at St. Patrick’s College, the seminary of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
After four years at St. Patrick’s he chose to take time to re-examine his goals, having become disillusioned with the Catholic Church. He transferred to California State University/CSU Sacramento, where he took degrees in humanities, history, and English Language. Meanwhile, he returned to his home parish church. He joined the choir, tasked with selecting music which was thematically based on each Sunday’s readings. Soon, the diocese asked him to join a group of lay people who were training for various areas of ministry within the churches of the diocese. This decision led to a rekindling of his desire to be a priest, just not Roman.
By now, Mark had accepted that he was a normal, gay man, so he began to explore and to grow his personal life. Ultimately, he met and later married the true love of his life, Carl Clack. They had first met online, and quickly discovered they had many shared experiences. One of those was that they were both in the same fraternity in college. They held many of the same moral values.
The conflict Mark felt within himself in relation to RC rules concerning homosexual priests, led him to seek another route to the ordination he still felt called to. This in turn led him to the Old Catholic Church of America/OCCOA, and a second fraternity brother, Bishop Raymond Niblock, who welcomed him, and after properly vetting him, decided to ordain him to the office of Deacon. A year later, on Aug 2, 2015, he was ordained a priest.
After two years of joyful work, during which Mark suffered thru serious arthritis and other health issues, he withdrew from the Old Catholic Church of America/OCCOA. While his ministry of service to God’s People has been curtailed temporarily, he is able to assist Bishop David Doyle as Pastor at Christ the King Old Catholic Church, the parish pre-COVID located in the Chapel of Lovelace Women’s Hospital, in Albuquerque NM, where he visits patients, says Mass, performs weddings, and baptisms, and provides counseling. Currently Christ the King OCC Parish meets at Bishop-Elect Mark's home chapel.
Andrew Werling,
Associate Pastor, Christ the King Old Catholic Church, Albuquerque
Associate Pastor, Christ the King Old Catholic Church, Albuquerque
Thomas Driber
Pastoral duties in Los Lunas, NM
Pastoral duties in Los Lunas, NM
Andrew Smith
Pastoral duties in Wannakee, WI USA
Pastoral duties in Wannakee, WI USA
Daniel "Danny" Smith
Annulled priesthood, Connecticut, USA
Annulled priesthood, Connecticut, USA