Msgr. Bracken was first involved with St. John's over 50 years ago thru his friendship with the Great Brother Frank Springman and other brothers.

Msgr. Bracken studied at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore and was ordained a priest on May 27, 1967. He served at St. Francis de Sales, Belle Harbor, until 1977; St. Teresa, Woodside, until 1980 and Our Lady Help of Christians, Midwood, until 1984. He was elected to the Priest Senate and was a member of the College of Consultors. He received his Doctorate from St Francis College in Brooklyn, where he served as a member of the Board of Trustees.

In 1984, Bishop Mugavero appointed him Episcopal Vicar of Vicariate D- later Queens North, where he served as Chairman of the Diocesan Budget Committee. Msgr Bracken chaired the committee which created the Immaculate Conception Center at Douglaston.

In 1991, Bishop Daily asked him to establish the Office of Stewardship and Development with the responsibility for conducting the Annual Diocesan Appeal. Bishop Daily appointed him Director of the Alive in Hope Campaign, which successfully raised more than $77 million benefitting the Parishes and enabled the Diocese to establish the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens.

Msgr. Bracken served as President of the Board of the International Catholic Stewardship Council for six years and was appointed Vicar for Temporalities, where he supervised the establishment of the Diocesan offices at 310 Prospect Park West. He was also named Vicar General for Temporalities (by Bishop DiMarzio) until June 2009.

In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI named him a Protonotary Apostolic.

Since leaving the office, Msgr. Bracken has served as Administrator of Holy Name, Windsor Terrace, St. Mary Star of the Sea, and St. Gertrude, Far Rockaway. He assisted at Our Lady Help of Christians and then served at Blessed Trinity in Breezy Point.

In January 2015, Bishop DiMarzio appointed him as administrator of St. Francis de Sales, where he currently resides and assists in the parish. Although he is currently a retired Vicar General of the Diocese of Brooklyn, Msgr. Bracken continues to serve the Diocese as the Director of Patrimony.