Fr. Ken Wolfe's Tenth Ordination Anniversary - Sunday, January 26, 2025

Ken Wolfe and his wife, Shelley Stone*, moved from Boston to Tucson in February 2011 and became St. Thomas parishioners later that same year. Their search for a spiritual ‘home’ in Tucson consisted of attending and experiencing many churches, mostly Catholic throughout the area. Ultimately, the music program at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, at that time under the leadership and direction of Charles Roe, captivated them both and was among the deciding factors for them choosing St. Thomas. Other parish notables at that time – Msgr. John Lyons, Vic Caputo, Margaret Brokaw and George Holley – were instrumental in them remaining engaged parishioners, becoming RCIA candidates, and confirmed as Catholic Christians at the Easter Vigil in April 2012.
 
Prior to becoming a Catholic, Father Ken had been an Episcopal priest for 32 years. In 2012 Fr. Ken began the process of renouncing orders in The Episcopal Church and preparing for ordination as a priest in the Catholic Church which took place in January 2015 through the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. The Ordinariate was established in the United States and Canada on January 1, 2012, by Pope Benedict XVI through the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus establishing Ordinariates, ecclesial entities similar to dioceses, for clergy and groups of Anglicans to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Prior to his ordination through the Ordinariate, Fr. Ken received a dispensation from Pope Francis to be ordained a priest as a married man.
 
On December 20, 2014, Bishop Gerald Kicanas ordained Ken Wolfe as Deacon in the Catholic Church. And in January 2015 (immediately following his ordination to the priesthood by Bishop Gerald Kicanas and assisted by Msgr. Jeffrey N. Steenson, Ordinary of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter) Fr. Ken was invited to become Officer for Child Protection Compliance for the Ordinariate and to develop the Ordinariate’s Child Protection Program over multiple trips to and from Houston and many hours of work here in Tucson. Following Pope Francis naming Steven J. Lopes the first Bishop of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter on November 24, 2015, Fr. Ken handed over his Safe Environment work and turned his focus to duties within the Diocese of Tucson. 
 
On January 9, 2016, Fr. Ken became a Fourth Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus. Throughout 2016 and early 2017 Fr. Ken did 'supply' work as requested/needed at several diocesan parishes including St. Helen's, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s, and St. Mark's.  
 
In 2017, at Msgr. John Lyons' request, Fr. Ken accepted his role as a Pastoral Associate at St. Thomas the Apostle. On his arrival as pastor in 2020, Father Pat Crino continued Fr. Ken’s service at St. Thomas. Fr. Ken’s duties include twice weekly weekday Masses plus one or two weekend Masses, pastoral counseling, administering Holy Communion and the Anointing of the Sick to those hospitalized or in hospice, as well as other assigned sacramental duties. 
 
As summer 2018 waned, Fr. Ken quietly worked behind the scenes offering guidance and encouragement resulting in the parish embracing the formation of a digital communication strategy and the subsequent tech platforms that included the creation of its new parish website (eCatholic) and a revamped, active and engaged social media presence (Facebook). The following year proved to be providential timing when the final two tech pieces were unveiled: Flocknotes and YouTube channel. These enabled the parish to communicate in real time with parishioners during the pandemic (and forever after) as well as offer live stream weekend and special Masses. Fr. Ken’s continued motivation and support throughout these endeavors was instrumental.     
 
Fr. Ken’s love of literature and desire to further community at St. Thomas resulted in a years’ long set of parish offerings. Beginning in Lent of 2019, Fr. Ken has offered eleven teaching/study series on broad range of topics from Bishop Robert Barron’s video series, The Mass; to Brant Pitre’s The Case for Jesus; Bishop Robert Barron’s CENTERED: The Spirituality of Word on Fire; Pope Benedict XVI’s The Infancy Narratives – Jesus of Nazareth;  C. S. Lewis’ The Problem of Pain; an Advent series on Reflections of the Sunday Mass seasonal readings; J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings; Tom Holland’s Dominion; Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol; and Justin Brierley’s The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God.  

 
Our parish has been blessed to have him in our service throughout this time.