Father Charles Albert Hammond, a senior priest of the Diocese of Saginaw, died on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. He served as a priest for more than 50 years.
Father Hammond was ordained to the priesthood in 1976 and served in parish ministry in Texas and Michigan. He also served as a missionary in Mexico, a vocation director and a director of lay ministry before joining the Diocese of Saginaw in 2001.
Father Hammond was born on Sept. 15, 1949, in Austin, Texas, to John Hammond and Carmen Sierra. He attended St. Andrew School in Fort Worth, Texas, and St. Anthony High School Seminary in San Antonio, Texas. He continued his education at St. Mary University in San Antonio and Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish. He completed his theological studies at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio.
Father Hammond was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1976, by Bishop Patrick Flores at Our Lady of San Juan Shrine in San Juan, Texas. Following his ordination, he served in missionary work in Mexico from 1976 to 1983. He then served as vocation director for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in San Antonio from 1983 to 1985 and as director of lay ministry for the Diocese of San Angelo in San Angelo, Texas, from 1986 to 1992.
Father Hammond served as pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf in Port Lavaca, Texas, from January 1993 to June 1995, and St. Margaret Mary in Lamesa, Texas, from June 1995 to December 1997.
Michigan
After coming to Michigan, Father Hammond served as administrator of St. Mary in Parisville and St. Anthony of Padua in Helena from November 1998 to July 1999. He continued as pastor of both parishes from July 1999 to September 2002. He then served as pastor of St. Mary in Alma and Mount Saint Joseph in St. Louis from September 2002 to July 2004.
From July 2004 to July 2013, Father Hammond served as pastor of St. Joseph in Sandusky and St. John the Evangelist in Peck. He later served as pastor of St. Columbkille in Sheridan Corners, St. John the Evangelist in Ubly, St. Ignatius in Freiburg and St. Joseph in Argyle from July 2013 to July 2019.
Father Hammond was incardinated into the Diocese of Saginaw on July 9, 2001. He became a senior priest of the Diocese of Saginaw on July 1, 2019. Father Hammond's proficiency in Spanish made him a great supporter of Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Saginaw. During the summer, he celebrated many of the Migrant Masses together with his good friend, the late Father Todd Arnberg.
After retirement, Father Hammond moved to the Denver area to be near family. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away in Colorado. His family will honor his life locally. One of the last ministries he performed was to be an itinerant preacher for Unbound, which is a Catholic organization of sponsors who support the poorest among the poor all over the world.
A Memorial Mass for Father Hammond will be celebrated on Friday, Nov. 6, at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption in Saginaw in the context of Bishop Gruss' First Friday Mass. All are welcome to attend.