About St. Mary of the Assumption · Bronson, Michigan
St. Mary of the Assumption is a Catholic parish in Bronson, Michigan, in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, whose roots reach back to 1858 when Father Charles Rychaert first celebrated Mass in the homes of pioneer Catholic families — mostly Polish and Irish settlers. The parish worships today in a church dedicated in 1956 on the west edge of Bronson and continues to operate a Preschool–8th-grade Catholic school (St. Mary's Assumption School, founded 1900) serving roughly 91 students under 304 enrolled parish families. The community gathers for Mass in English and Spanish, runs active family, men's, and faith-formation ministries, and is currently served by Father James Adams, appointed pastor in 2025 by Bishop Edward Lohse.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. James (Father James) Adams
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kalamazoo
Why belong here
St. Mary's Assumption is a small-town Catholic community where the priest knows your name and visitors are personally welcomed after Mass. Faith formation flows naturally from a Preschool–8th-grade Catholic school (about 91 students) into parish life, while ministries like Family Ministry Sundays, the 'Bible, Bourbon & Bros' Catholic men's fellowship, Mother of Perpetual Help devotions, weekly confession, and First Saturday Mass give every age and stage a place to belong. Bilingual English/Spanish Masses extend a warm welcome to the wider Branch County area, including the partnered St. Barbara Mission in Colon.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Saturday 3:30 PM to 3:55 PM
- Additional Advent times (per schedule): Friday, December 13th at 6 PM and Monday, December 23rd at 6 PM
Adoration times
- 1st Friday: 9:30 AM to 2:10 AM (Benediction at 2:10 PM)
Parish History
Catholic life in Bronson goes back to 1858, when Fr. Charles Rychaert began celebrating Mass in the homes of the few Catholic families — mostly Polish and Irish pioneers — who had settled in the area, usually at the home of James Cunningham. The parish was formally organized in 1863 by Rev. F. X. Schulack, S.J., who built the first church in 1865 on the south side of the railroad. After years of missionary care from Coldwater (Fr. Cornelius Korst, 1867-1884) and the construction of two earlier church buildings — one of which burned in 1885 — Fr. John Bernard Hewelt (from 1899) and later Fr. Stan Nowakowski (from 1954) shaped the parish into its present form. The current church and school were dedicated together on November 4, 1956, and the 1965 gym/classroom addition brought the parish investment past $900,000 by 1966.
- 1858 — Fr. Charles Rychaert begins celebrating Mass in private homes
- 1863 — Parish organized by Rev. F. X. Schulack, S.J.
- 1865 — First church built on the south side of the railroad
- 1876 — Frame church built on Matteson and Fillmore Streets
- January 5, 1885 — Frame church burns
- 1886 — New brick church ($5,000, seating 300)
- 1899 — Fr. John Bernard Hewelt appointed
- 1900 — St. Mary's School built
- 1954 — Fr. Stan Nowakowski appointed; 13 acres purchased on west edge of Bronson
- September 25, 1955 — Ground broken for present church
- November 4, 1956 — Church and school dedicated by Bishop Joseph H. Albers
- 1956-1958 — Sisters' residence used
- 1960-1961 — New rectory built and occupied
- May 7, 1965 — Ground broken for 4 classrooms and gym ($252,630)
- 2016 — Diocesan reassignment announcement lists Fr. Richard Fritz as pastor (with expected retirement in 2018)
- 2025 — Fr. James Adams appointed pastor by Bishop Edward Lohse
Mass & Sacraments Schedule
The parish offers a full weekly schedule including a Saturday Vigil, an early Sunday English Mass, a Sunday Spanish Mass, daily weekday Masses, and special devotions. Confession is heard weekly on Thursday evenings and before the Saturday Vigil Mass, plus additional Advent times when published.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM (English)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM (English) at St. Mary's; 8:00 AM at St. Barbara, Colon; 1:30 PM (Spanish) at St. Mary's
- Monday: 9:00 AM (English)
- Wednesday: 11:30 AM Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion, followed by Mass at 12:00 PM
- 1st Saturday: 9:00 AM (English)
- Confession: Thursday 5:00-6:00 PM; Saturday 3:30-3:55 PM
- 1st Friday Adoration: 9:30 AM, with Benediction at 2:10 PM
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Fr. James Adams, who was appointed pastor in 2025 by Most Rev. Edward Lohse, Bishop of Kalamazoo. The parish office is staffed by Rhonda Noble (reachable at [email protected]), who fields inquiries about RCIA and parish life.
- Rev. James Adams — Pastor (2025-present)
- Rhonda Noble — Parish Office / RCIA inquiries
- Affiliated mission: St. Barbara Parish, Colon (calls and mail directed to St. Mary's parish office)
St. Mary's Assumption School
St. Mary's Assumption School is a parish-supported Catholic school serving Preschool through 8th grade, currently enrolling about 91 students. It is located at 204 Albers Road, Bronson, MI 49028, with its own office line at (517) 369-4625. U.S. News lists enrollment at 175 with a 31:1 student-teacher ratio for the wider school community. The school follows Michigan immunization, vision, and hearing requirements (with religious/medical exemptions available) and admits students regardless of religion, race, color, or national origin under Title IX.
- Preschool through 8th grade
- 204 Albers Road, Bronson, MI 49028
- Phone: (517) 369-4625
- Founded 1900 (originally under Dominican Sisters, later Felician Sisters)
- Linked to parish religious education and sacramental preparation
Parish Ministries & Faith Formation
Beyond Mass, the parish runs a vibrant set of small-group and family ministries. Family Ministry Sundays host monthly potluck gatherings for parish families in St. Mary's Gym; Bible, Bourbon & Bros is a Catholic men's fellowship meeting at a local host site; and RCIA inquiries are welcomed through parish-office contact Rhonda Noble. First Friday Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, weekly Mother of Perpetual Help devotions on Wednesdays, and a Hispanic/Latino ministry anchored by the Sunday 1:30 PM Spanish Mass round out the rhythm of parish life.
- Family Ministry Sunday (monthly)
- Bible, Bourbon & Bros (Catholic men's fellowship)
- RCIA / inquiry into the Catholic faith
- Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion (Wednesday 11:30 AM)
- 1st Friday Adoration & Benediction
- Hispanic/Latino ministry (Spanish Mass, Sunday 1:30 PM)
- Branch Collaborative email list and parish communications
Outreach & Branch Collaborative
St. Mary's Assumption is part of a parish collaborative with St. Barbara in Colon, and was grouped in the May 2016 diocesan pastoral plan under Bishop Paul Bradley's 'A Future Full of Hope' reorganization. The priest team includes special care for the Hispanic/Latino community on both sides of the parish boundary, and emergency pastoral needs are served through a 24-hour line at (517) 278-2650.
- Diocese of Kalamazoo Parish Collaborative with St. Barbara, Colon
- Emergency pastoral line: (517) 278-2650
- Email list / 'Join Our Email List' for events, reflections, prayers
- Spanish-language outreach served through Spanish Mass and parochial-vicar coverage
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charles Rychaert1858-1866
Pioneer missionary priest who first celebrated Mass in the homes of Catholic settlers in Bronson, usually at the home of James Cunningham.
- Rev. F. X. Schulack, S.J.1863-1879 (approx.)
Organized the parish in 1863 and built the first church in 1865 on the south side of the railroad; served some 15 years.
- Fr. Charles (Cornelius) Korst1867-1884 (approx.)
Resident pastor of St. Charles, Coldwater; took over the Bronson Mission, bought a house from Michael Coleman and remodeled it into the first Assumption church, later built the 1876 frame church.
- Fr. Francis Kroll1884-1890 (approx.)
First resident pastor of the Bronson parish; built the rectory; presided after the 1885 fire over the construction of the 1886 brick church ($5,000).
- Rev. John Bernard Hewelt1899-
Rebuilt the parish in the early 20th century; erected the school in 1900 and the larger brick church whose Roman-artist-painted interior was widely noted.
- Fr. Stan Nowakowski1954-
Purchased the 13-acre present site on the west edge of Bronson; oversaw the 1955-1956 construction and dedication of the current church and school.
- Rev. Richard Fritzserved until expected retirement 2018
Listed as Pastor in the May 2016 diocesan reassignment announcement for St. Mary of the Assumption, Bronson and St. Barbara Mission, Colon.
- Rev. James Adamsappointed 2025
Current pastor; appointed by Bishop Edward Lohse of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.