COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The announcement by the Diocese of Kalamazoo last weekend of 19 priests being transferred or receiving assignments that are effective July 1, 2019 will have a direct impact on Branch County Catholic churches.
The Very Reverend Father Mark Vyverman, who has been the Pastor of the Collaborative of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Coldwater as well as St. Mary’s Assumption Parish of Bronson and Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Union City, has been appointed as Pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Portage. Vyverman has been the pastor at St. Charles in Coldwater and Our Lady of Fatima in Union City for five years. He has served as the pastor at St. Mary’s for the past three years.
The Diocese in turn has appointed the Reverend Daniel Hyman the Pastor of the Branch County Collaborative of Churches. He has been the Pastor of the Saint Thomas More Student Parish in Kalamazoo.
In addition, the Reverend Paul Redmond, who has been serving as the Parochial Vicar of the Branch County Collaborative, has been appointed as the Pastor of the Saint Thomas More Student Parish in Kalamazoo.
Father Rajain Mathias will also be leaving Saint Charles in July. His new assignment will be announced at a later time.
The Reverend Basker Lopez and the Reverend John Tuyen Tran will be the new Parochial Vicars of the Branch County Collaborative of Churches.
Kalamazoo Diocese Bishop the Most Reverend Paul Bradley said in a letter last weekend that the changes are needed due in part to the loss of priests and a number of other difficulties.
He added in his letter, “unfortunately, the three Parishes in the Branch County Collaborative have not been without their trials and difficulties in this respect, and the past two years have been especially hard for the faithful in Bronson. While I had hoped to be able to leave things as they are in Coldwater, Bronson, and Union City, it has become apparent that the good priests that currently care for you must be considered for service elsewhere in the Diocese.”
