Bishop George Lucey, FCM is the founding pastor of our parish, his experiences with the people during his other ministerial encounters led Bishop George seek a place where Catholics could gather and worship in an welcoming and all inclusive atmosphere. Bishop George, originally from the Philadelphia area began his journey to the Old Catholic/Independent Catholic sacramental movement in the Roman Catholic Church. Like many of us he found that Rome’s narrow view of catholic theology was leaving the People of God feeling disenfranchised. St Francis of Assisi was founded as a place where all could feel comfortable worshiping in the Catholic Tradition.

Bishop George completed his seminary studies at Regis College, the Jesuit Pontifical College at the University of Toronto. He holds a S.T.B and a M.Div. from Regis. During his formation as a Franciscan Bishop George ministered at St. Francis Table in Toronto, Canada, St. Joan of Arc in Toronto, at the Capuchin monastery in Monterrey, Mexico and at the HIV/AIDS clinic of the Order of St. Camellias in Ciuad Juarez, Mexico

In 2008 Bishop George was consecrated to the episcopacy in the line of Charles Duarte-Costa and through the Apostolic lines of Utrecht of the Bishops Harris and Carfora, at the St. Augustine Chapel of College of Chaplains of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Immediately following his consecration Bishop went to Cameroon, Africa, where there had been an absence of a bishop for two years. While there Bishop George erected the Diocese of the Holy Rosary with the necessary infrastructure, ordained two men to the priesthood, confirmed, baptized and aided in the founding of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary.

Bishop George currently serves as the Presiding Bishop of the American National Catholic Church and as Director of Formation for his Religious community, the Franciscan Community of Mercy.

Aside from pasturing the parish of St. Francis of Assisi, Bishop George also serves as chaplain at a local psychiatric hospital and correctional facility.