Families 29 and 13 receive pastors

Bishop Michael W. Fisher has made the following appointments.

Father Johnson Machado has been named the parochial vicar of Family of Parishes #29: Most Precious Blood, Angola; St. Anthony, Farnham; St. Francis of Assisi, Athol Springs; St. Mary of the Lake, Hamburg; and St. John Paul II, Lake View. This was effective March 15, and is for a term of three years or until a subsequent appointment. He was formerly the pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Sheldon/Strykersville.

Father Daniel J. Serbicki has been appointed as the pastor of the Family #13: St. John the Baptist, Alden; St. Maximilian Kolbe, Corfu/East Pembroke; SS. Joachim & Anne, Attica/Varysburg; St. John Neumann, Strykersville/Sheldon; and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Darien Center/Bennington Center. This was effective March 8, for a term of six years or until a subsequent appointment.

Father Donald R. Watkins Jr. and Father Paul S. Cygan are now serving as a parochial vicars of Family #4: St. Patrick,  Randolph; Our Lady of Loreto, Falconer; Sacred Heart, Lakewood/Panama; and St. James and Holy Apostles, Jamestown. Both appointments are for a term of three years or until a subsequent appointment, and became effective March 20. Father Watkins had been serving as the temporary parish administrator of the parishes in Falconer and Randolph. Father Cygan has been serving as parochial vicar of Holy Apostles since July 2021.

Father Thomas Mahoney has been appointed as the temporary administrator of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish in Cheektowaga, replacing Msgr. Robert Zapfel. This is in addition to Father Mahoney’s responsibilities at Infant of Prague Parish in Cheektowaga. This was effective March 28.

At the request of the provincial superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, faculties have been granted to Father Basil Obieje, OMI, effective March 1. Father Obieje will serve as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Hope, Coronation, and Holy Cross Family of Parishes.