Our Servant

Fr. Kenneth J. M. Nelan, CSD

Ordained Priest
~ 7 October 2001
~ under the American Catholic Churches in the United States
~~ by Bishop Michael B. Norton, Hon D.D. 
~~ Assisted by Archbishop Lawrence J. Harms, Hon D.D.
~~ Assisted by Bishop J.J. Johnson, D.D.

Current Faculties
~ Rev. Bishop David Doyle, Presiding Bishop
   ~ North American Catholic Ecumenical Church

Sacred Wandering
~ Director of Sacred Wandering
~ Director of the Pastoral Center at Sacred Wandering
~ Pastor of Nuestra Señora del Camino (Our Lady of the Way)
~ Director/Provider at Counseling at Sacred Wandering
 
Holy Vows
~ The Order of the Servant Franciscans – 12 April 2008
~ Renewed December, 2010 under Companions of Saints Francis and Dominic (CSFD)
~ Lifetime Vows 6 June, 2014 under the Order of Preachers, Old Catholic (OPoc)
~ Lifetime Vows 7 June, 2020 transferred to the Companions of St. Dominic – Order of Preachers (CSD)

Fr. Kenn’s discernment process began when he was a child and was accepted into the Diocese of Orange County to attend Seminary High School, however his father challenged him to attend a public school. After attending public school, Fr. Kenn left the religious world and entered the secular till at last he reengaged with his calling in the mid 1990’s. He attended Cardinal Stritch University and Sacred Heart School of Theology from 1996 through 2000 for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, but left the Roman seminary for something more – pastoral.

In 2001, Fr. Kenn found, investigated, and was ordained in the American Catholic Church in the United States, but only after he and his soon-to-be wife built and served at an independent Catholic community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There they served the disenfranchised for 3 years before transferring the parish into the capable hands of one of his fellow priests.  Fr. Kenn and his wife moved to Arizona in 2004 where they both founded and served a special “in-the-field” mission parish that continued the spirit of healing, teaching, and ministering to those in need while also serving a more migrant population; however, he left the ACCUS after much prayer and careful discernment.  In August of 2007, Fr. Kenn entered an autonomous Franciscan order to more closely follow a path of Holistic Spirituality and in February of 2008 he professed vows. Later that same year, Fr. Kenn began a discernment process trying to understand where God was leading him and in 2010 he applied to, and was accepted into the Companions of Saints Francis and Dominic – healers and preachers.  In the early half of 2011 Fr. Kenn and his wife moved back to Wisconsin where they continue serving the people of God.  At that time, Fr. Kenn felt called to a greater ministerial need and applied to, and was accepted into the Old Catholic Churches and the Order of Preachers, Old Catholic.  In June of 2020, Fr. Kenn was released from the OCCI and is in discernment, though he retains his religious vows and has maintained faculties under another jurisdiction (en pectore).

Fr. Kenn is a licensed psychotherapist in the State of Wisconsin and is nationally certified through the National Board of Certified Counselors.  He serves the disenfranchised, marginalized, and other members of the community.

Religious Curriculum Vitae

  • Pastor – the Pastoral Center at Sacred Wandering – Milwaukee
    • Primary ministry is offering psychological services to the underprivileged and marginalized. 

1 Aug, 2010 – Present
Old Catholic Churches International
  • Placed under protection
  • Received as Presbyter
  • Pastor – Sacred Wandering Pastoral Center – Milwaukee
    • Primary ministry is offering psychological services to the underprivileged and marginalized. 
  • Named Vicar to the Diocese of St. Catherine of Siena

Order of Preachers, Old Catholic (Under the OCCI)

  • Solemn Vows – Life
  • Elevated to Servant General

 
15 Oct, 2013
19 Mar, 2014
19 Mar, 2014 – June 6, 2020


25 Aug, 2014 – June 6, 2020


 
6 June 2014 – June 6, 2020
24 Sept, 2014 – June 6, 2020

American Old Catholic Church (OCCA)
(Remaining under the Protection of the Companions of Sts. Francis and Dominic)

  • Pastor – St. Elizabeth Oratory, OCCA – Tuscon
  • Pastor – St. Elizabeth Oratory, OCCA – Milwaukee

 


1 Dec, 2010 – 15 July, 2013
1 Aug, 2011 – 15 July, 2013
Discernment Sabbatical
  • Under the protection of the Companions of Sts. Francis and Dominic


Sept 2009 – 1 Dec 2010

Order of the Servant Franciscans
Under Bishop Kevin Crowell, OSF

  • Named Vicar General of the Order
    • Title of Monsignor conferred.
  • Pastor – Prince of Peace, OSF – Tucson

 


1 Nov 2007 – 5 Aug 2009

20 July 2007 – 5 Aug 2009

American Catholic Church in the United States
Under Archbishop Lawrence J. Harms

  • Pastor – St. Joseph the Worker, ACCUS – Milwaukee
  • Vicar of Wisconsin – Province of St. Luke
    • Appointed to the Archbishop’s council
    • Named as Monsignor to the Archbishop
  • Pastor – Christ Our Light, ACCUS – Tucson
  • Named Vicar of the Province of St. Francis of Assisi

 

 

7 Oct 2001 – 14 May 2004
1 Jan 2002 – 14 may 2004

 

14 May 2004 – 19 July 2007
Seminarian for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Under Archbishop George Niederauer
  • Sent to Sacred Heart School of Theology, Hales Corners, WI.
    • (See Education, Accredited)
 1996 – 2000

Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Provo

  • Personal Assistant to the Pastor
  • Outreach Coordinator for Migrant Workers

Special dispensation to function as a subdeacon given in June 1998 to assist pastor of St. Francis Parish

 1993-1998 (Summers and Winters in seminary were spent at the parish)

 

Education (Accredited)

UW-Milwaukee (Graduate)
  • Major – Educational Psychology
    • Emphasis on Community Counseling

Fall 2014 – Current

 
UW- Milwaukee (Undergraduate)
  • Major – Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies
  • Minor – Community Engagement and Education
  • Certificate – Latin American and Caribbean Studies

GPA – 3.82 Graduated with Honors – Summa Cum Laude

Board of Trustees appointment for interim SA Government
Golden Key International Honours Society
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Fall 2012 – Summer 2014

 

 

 

 

 
Pima Community College
  • General Studies and Continuing Education
    (Studies concurrent with employment: adjunct teacher of Business Management for Massage Professionals, 2006 – 2009)

2007 – 2009

 
Sacred Heart School of Theology – Hales Corners, WI
  • Non-Degree – Religious Studies/Theology
  • For the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah

1996 – 2000

 
Cardinal Stritch University – Fox Point, WI
  • Non-degree – Religious Studies / Priesthood Program
  • For the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah

1996-1998
(concurrent with SHST)

 

Certificates

Hypnosis Certificate
  • Pesi: (Pending location of certificate)
 25 March, 2018 ~ 24 Clock Hours
EMDR Certificate
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
    • As taught by – Dr. Wendy Freitag
 1 June, 2018 ~ 43 Clock Hours

Telehealth Certification

TeleMental Health Training Certificate (THTC)

  • Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC

Pezi: Joni Gilbertson, MA, NCC, LCPC, BC­TMH

  • Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals

25 March, 2020 ~ 23 Clock Hours

 

20 March, 2020 ~ 18.5 Clock Hours

 

Other Accreditations

National Board of Certified Counselors
as Nationally Certified Counselor
ID: 731253

 

TeleHealth Certification Institute
Certified Clinical Telemental Health Provider
Certification Number: 409740

Professional and Religious Memberships

American Psychological Association
ID: 24398592
Type: Associate
 
Wisconsin Counseling Association
ID: Kenneth J. Nelan
Type: Professional
American Association of Christian Counselors
ID: Rev. Kenneth J. Nelan, OPoc
Type: Student
Divisions:
  • Multicultural Division of AACC

**ASM = the Autonomous Sacramental Movement – a Catholic presence not under the authority of the Bishop of Rome