Bishop Walkowiak announces the following appointment, effective immediately:
Rev. James R. VanderLaan, in addition to his appointment as pastor of Christ the King-St. Francis de Sales Parish in Howard City, is appointed pastor of St. Bernadette-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish in Stanton. Father VanderLaan had previously been assigned as canonical administrator of St. Bernadette-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
There are a few distinctions between an appointment as canonical administrator and that of pastor, simply put:
– An administrator has the same duties and rights of a pastor (Canon 540.1) but he is a priest who takes the place of a pastor in a parish in which this position is vacant. The primary difference is that this appointment is temporary. The bishop can, in time, decide to appoint the administrator as the pastor.
– A pastor has parochial care of a parish (or more than one if necessary) according to Canon 519. He is named for an indefinite period of time or for a certain period as determined by the bishop (Canon 522). In our diocese, most pastors serve terms of six years which are renewable upon consultation with Bishop Walkowiak.
Please continue to pray for our retired priests, and for our priests transitioning to new appointments and leading the parish communities entrusted to their care.
Contact:
Annalise Laumeyer, director of communications
alaumeyer@grdiocese.org | 616-551-5629
