New Plan Moves Local Pastors in July

The Diocese of Kalamazoo is reassigning several pastors inside their collaborative as part of new plan that begins July 1st, including the current pastor at St. Philip Catholic Church.

Reverend John Fleckenstein, who currently serves as pastor at St. Philip Parish and canonical administrator and Vicar for Education for the Battle Creek Area Catholic Schools, will be appointed as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Augusta, St. Ambrose Parish in Delton and Our Lady of Great Oak Parish in Lacey in their new Parish Collaborative.

The plan has place Reverend Christopher Ankley, the Pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish in Vicksburg as the new pastor for all three Battle Creek parishes that are part of the new collaborative.

Reverend Simon Chummar-Manjooran, the current parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish, will hold the same role for St. Philip and St. Jerome parishes and was appointed the Spiritual Moderator for the catholic schools.

In other moves, Reverend Christopher Derda, Pastor of St. Joseph Parish and Canonnical Pastor at St. Jerome Parish has been appointed Administrator of St. Mary's Visitation Parish in Byron Center, St. Stanislaus in Dorr and Sacred Heart Parish in Watson in a new parish collaborative.