Most Rev. George R. Lucey, FCM, is a bishop of the American National Catholic Church and a lifelong advocate for a Church of welcome, inclusion, and mercy. Born and raised in a devout Irish-American Catholic family, he felt the call to the priesthood as a young teenager and has spent decades faithfully following that vocation, embracing both its challenges and its unexpected joys, guided by a deepening awareness of God’s all-encompassing love.

He pursued theological studies at Washington Theological Union and completed his theological studies at Regis College, the Jesuit Pontifical Faculty at the University of Toronto, earning degrees in Sacred Theology and Divinity. His formation as a Franciscan, combined with his pastoral experience as a bishop, has nurtured a vision of ministry grounded in both rigorous theological reflection and compassionate service to all people, particularly those who feel marginalized or distant from the institutional Church. Not only did he minister to the marginalized or distant from the institutional Church in Toronto, Mexico, and the United States, but Bishop George continues to do so now in the community where he lives, serving as a Chaplain at a memory care unit, as well as a psychiatric hospital and a senior Assisted Living residence. He knows that today these elderly men and women who have given their whole life to the Church are now in need of the Church to return some of that to them, and so Bishop George, as an American National Catholic bishop, continues to serve all of those who are marginalized because of circumstances beyond their control.

Bishop Lucey’s first Apostolic See was in Cameroon, where he played a pivotal role in securing the presence of the Independent Sacramental Community and in establishing the Diocese of the Holy Rosary. His work there reflected his commitment to building communities of faith that are deeply rooted in prayer, sacrament, and social engagement.

For more than twenty years, Bishop Lucey has ministered to Catholics seeking a Church that embodies the heart of the Gospel, one that welcomes, heals, and restores. Through preaching, teaching, and pastoral care, he has helped countless individuals experience a faith that is both intellectually robust and spiritually nourishing.

Bishop George Lucey is a founding member of the Franciscan Community of Mercy and the community's first Director of Formation. Bishop Lucey was named as one of the spiritual leaders of the LGBTQ community in 2010.