Our Clergy

Abbott Bishop Dr +Mike Zulinke, PhD., OSB., OCB. -Spring Hill,  FL

Bishop Mike is a distinguished  Celtic Rite Bishop with extensive experience across various roles in ministry, including church planting, worship leading,  pastoral care, marriage counseling, and hospice chaplaincy. He has dedicated his life to spreading hope and faith, bringing comfort and spiritual support to many through his roles. Mike's ministry spans decades, marked by leadership in worship and pastoral care, and he is widely respected for his compassionate service, particularly in hospice spiritual care. He holds a PhD in Historic Theology and is consecrated as a Bishop with Apostolic succession. Currently, he serves as Abbott Bishop for the CRC and the Ordo Celticus Capellani Benedictini, continuing his commitment to parish and hospice chaplaincy within his local community. Mike’s apostolic succession can be traced to Christ and the apostles through the Anglican, Celtic Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Old Catholic, Polish Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic lines.

Abbott Bishop Elect +Joe Schooler, O.C. Carm.  -Ventura,  CA
Bishop Elect  +Joe Schooler is a founding member of the Order of Celtic Carmelites, a largely internet-based   community of men and women dedicated to contemplatively living the Gospels and serving the
spiritual needs of all people through prayer and service.
Fr. Joe was ordained into the Celtic Rite Old Catholic Church in 2011, and his ministry includes
spiritual counseling, sacramental ministry to the sick and homebound, and being present with
people during times of grief, abandonment, and despair.
Prayer and contemplation are critical to Father Joe’s spiritual life, and he can often be found in
parks, forests, and along the shoreline of Southern California’s Coast. He has a passion for
Sacred Scripture and living in communion with the imperatives given by our Lord Jesus Christ:
“You shall love the Lord you God with all of you heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37-39). Further, Jesus challenges us to
love one another as He has loved us (Jn. 13:34). Embracing these commandments liberates
people to unconditionally love God, neighbor, and creation. Father Joe understands that Jesus’
love for humanity led Him to the Cross, and realizes following the Lord is by no means an easy
undertaking, and yet it is worth every adversity.
He lives by the motto, “See Jesus in all, be Jesus to all.”

Abbott Bishop  Dr +William (Bill) Emmerling Ed.D., D.Div.  CROSF - Las Vegas NV

From an early age, I sensed a calling to dedicate my life to serving others. My education, shaped by Franciscan and Benedictine spirituality, laid a strong foundation rooted in simplicity, prayer, and compassionate service. I began my professional journey teaching for a year in parochial education before discerning a deeper call to nursing — a vocation that continues to define my life and ministry.

I later entered the United States Public Health Service, expanding my service to vulnerable and underserved populations. Alongside my professional work, I volunteered as a lay minister, integrating faith with daily service.

I was ordained by Bishop Tom McKenna, who invited me to join the Celtic Order of St. Francis (COSF), which later became the Celtic Rite Order of St. Francis (CROSF). After completing my formation, I was ordained and subsequently consecrated as a bishop — becoming his first consecrated bishop.

My professional career has included service in correctional health, mental health, addiction treatment, and volunteer healthcare ministries. In response to a growing need for contemplative presence within active ministry, I founded the Urban Hermit expression of the CROSF. I continue to live and serve as an Urban Hermit while practicing as a nurse practitioner, providing care to homeless and underserved populations.

The Urban Hermit vocation does not withdraw from the world but remains prayerfully present within it. It is a life grounded in Simplicity, Purity, and Direction — embracing prayer, meditation, contemplation, and sacred silence while living fully in community and in service to those most in need.

+William (Bill) Emmerling Ed.D., D.Div (H), FNP-c, RN, RHIA (emeritus) CAPT (06) (R) USPHS Commissioned Officer. DAV

Abbott Bishop Ashley Beckham - Mckinney Tx

Abbot Bishop Ashley Beckham was one of the original bishops of the Fellowship of Celtic Churches, having joined in 2011. He has been active in the Independent Sacramental Movement for many years, faithfully serving the Church in both traditional and pastoral contexts.

Bishop Ashley also serves informally as a chaplain, bringing the Reserved Sacrament from his home oratory to those who are unable to attend church services, particularly residents of nursing homes and similar care facilities. Through this ministry he seeks to ensure that the sick, elderly, and homebound continue to receive the comfort of the Sacraments and the presence of the Church.

His ministry also extends into the digital world through All Saints Oratory, an online fellowship where people gather through social media to pray together, share spiritual reflections, and discuss matters of faith. Through this outreach, Bishop Ashley has helped create a small but meaningful community of believers who connect for prayer, encouragement, and spiritual conversation despite being separated by distance.