Celebrating 75 years: Nov. 15, 2026 – June 06, 2027
”The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!” Ps. 126:3
ANNIVERSARY KICKOFF, NOV. 14/15, 2026:
Join us after all Masses the weekend of Nov. 14/15 to begin the celebration of our 75th anniversary! The anniversary hospitality committee will provide appetizers, fruit and dessert in Newminster Hall. All parishioners are invited. The Christmas Bazaar on Nov. 14 is also a part of the kickoff weekend festivities. See “Upcoming Events” below for details.
For nearly three-quarters of a century, St. Robert of Newminster has stood as a vibrant pillar of faith, community, and service in Ada. The origins of our parish go back to Nov. 15, 1951, when the very first Mass was celebrated inside Kennedy’s restaurant (pictured), an eatery on Fulton St. near the Grand River bridge. Now, looking ahead to Nov. 15, 2026, we are excited for the celebration of our 75th anniversary!
Father Tony’s enthusiasm for this parish milestone is contagious and he is excited about seeing our community join together for the celebration: “Marking our 75th anniversary is a powerful reminder of God’s abiding presence and faithfulness to our parish. From our humble beginnings to the vibrant community of 2,100 families we are today, St. Robert of Newminster has remained a place where disciples are formed and Christ is encountered, especially through our faith formation programs and St. Robert Catholic School. I am filled with excitement for what lies ahead as we continue to grow, evangelize, and serve with renewed energy and purpose.”
Eight months to celebrate 75 years
Formed over the past several months, our 75th anniversary committee, made up of staff and parishioner volunteers, has been meeting monthly-perusing our parish’s past, collecting interesting facts, and coming up with incredible ideas to honor our rich history. Instead of just a one-day event, we are planning an eight-month celebration beginning this year on the weekend of November 14-15 and culminating with the return of our parish picnic in June 2027.
SPECIAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES:
Each month leading up to the parish picnic, parishioners are invited to help our history come alive by engaging in fun and interesting activities, events, and displays. See the calendar at-a-glance for the list of featured anniversary events. Additional activities will include:
- A Parish History Timeline on display and anniversary table in the narthex.
- St. Robert Trivia featured regularly on our website and social media.
- A church-to-church Pen Pal program with parishioners of St. Robert Parish in Shoreline, Wisconsin. (see details and sign up below)
- A special St. Robert anniversary prayer to be prayed throughout our eight month celebration (see below)
- The committee is also planning a parish scavenger hunt, a traveling St. Robert flat figure and plushie doll (see details and sign up below), and more.
SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY FINALE EVENT!
Mass & Parish Picnic – Sunday, June 6, 2027: 10:00 a.m. Mass with Bishop Walkowiak and the picnic to follow until 3:00 p.m. on our St. Robert campus.
The eight months of celebration will lead up to the finale of our anniversary on June 6, 2027, just a day before the feast of our parish patron saint! On that day, we will host the culminating community event—a parish picnic to honor our amazing 75-year history. Additional details to come!
As we continue planning, the committee welcomes your participation! Sub-committees, formed around specific tasks and activities, are being created and there’s a place for you! If you’d like to get involved in the planning of this momentous occasion, please contact Molly Reppuhn in the parish office. In spring 2027, we will be looking to begin signing up volunteers to help with the picnic on June 6. Stay tuned to this page for more fun facts, ideas shared and details over the coming months as we celebrate where we’ve been and where God is leading us!
Parish History
The following history has been assembled through excerpts from “Where A Star Came to Rest: Stories of the Catholic people in west Michigan” by Msgr. Gaspar Ancona:
“Newminster” today marks the ruins of a Cistercian abby in the north of England. However, in a scenic sweep of West Michigan, it also serves to name a vibrant, growing, beautifully sited parish complex on the eastern border of Grand Rapids. Our parish territory embraces Ada, Cascade, and parts of the surrounding communities.
St. Robert was established by Bishop Francis J. Haas on Nov. 14, 1951 and Father Frederick Voss was named as its first pastor.
When Bishop Haas formally established the parish of St. Robert the Abbot in Ada, Michigan, it was one of only two or three parishes in the United States with that patron. The name was given to honor the chancellor of the Diocese at the time, Msgr. Robert Bogg. Father Voss, its first pastor, had been transferred to the area to care for the missions of Ada and Saranac.
The first Sunday Mass was offered in the Kennedy Restaurant in 1951 on Fulton St. in Grand Rapids, owned by parishioners Thomas and Jane Kennedy. The following day, the first parish meeting was held and plans were made to establish an Ushers’ Club, take a census of the parish, and set plans for a fundraising card party which was held Dec. 14, 1951, at the town hall in Ada.
In one of Father Voss’s first letters after that meeting, he set out his vision for the parish, writing, “It doesn’t take much imagination to dream of a beautiful church, a fine new school, our own parish plant and activities.” The dream quickly found support with the 84 families in the parish at that time, and in September 1952, there was a groundbreaking for the first of three churches the St. Robert community would eventually build. The first was located at 7215 Headley St. and on Mother’s Day in May 1953, the first Mass in that church was celebrated. The parish had grown to about 110 families by then.
St. Robert’s second pastor was Father Donald Farrell under whom the parish continued to flourish. When he retired due to poor health, Father Henry Niedzwiecki was appointed as pastor. Under his leadership, 15 acres were purchased and ground was broken for a new church at our current location, 6477 Ada Dr. SE, in August 1969. Construction included the church with a capacity of 750 people and an adjacent combination rectory/administrative building. By this time, the parish had grown to a little over 300 families. Later on in the 70s, the parish center, Newminster Hall, was added. In 1995, a wing of eight classrooms was added.
The parish’s growth continued over the next two decades leading to construction of the current church which at the time of the writing of “Where A Star Came to Rest,” seated 1,300 people with an overflow area to hold another 400 worshippers.
Today, with Father Tony Russo as pastor, St. Robert is a dynamic community of just over 2,000 families and growing. As expressed by our mission statement, we proclaim the Good News by serving God and neighbor as we grow in loving relationship with Christ, as we live into the vision of being a vibrant, welcoming faith community that invites all people to know Christ through worship and sacraments, evangelization and catechesis,
charity and service.
Anniversary Events At-A-Glance
- Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 | 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. – Christmas Bazaar in the Parish Activity Center
- Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 14 & 15 | After all Masses – 75th Anniversary Kickoff Weekend. Join the anniversary committee in Newminster Hall for appetizers, fruit and desserts to open our anniversary celebration.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. – Jewels & Jubilee Gala Auction at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining
- Saturday, Feb. 20-Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2027 – Parish Mission “Food for Hungry Hearts” with Father Leo Patalinghug
- Friday, June 4, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. – Embers to Flame: A Choral Celebration of Legacy, Light and the Saints Who Guide Us in St. Robert’s main sanctuary
- Sunday, June 6, 2027 | Parish Picnic – The culminating event of our anniversary celebration
75th Anniversary Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Seventy five years ago, You gathered a small community in faith, and blessed St. Robert with a vibrant parish.
With grateful hearts, we remember those whose faith and sacrifice built this parish. We thank You for the Holy Spirit, still at work among us.
Set our hearts on fire with love for Christ. Send us beyond these walls to seek the lost, walk with those who are searching, serve those in need.
May what You began 75 years ago continue through us, so that generations to come may know and love You.
St. Robert of Newminster, pray for us.
Upcoming Events
Click any graphic below for more details
1st Annual Christmas Bazaar
Nov. 14, 2026 – The public is welcome!
Jewels & Jubilee Parish Gala
Nov. 21, 2026 (Ticket sales end Nov. 8!)
Parish Mission with Father Leo Patalinghug
Feb. 20-24, 2027
About St. Robert of Newminster
Click the plus sign (to the far right of each question below) to see the responses.
St. Robert was one of the most admired holy men of 12th century England. Born in Yorkshire around 1100, Robert received an excellent education and was ordained a priest at a young age. Although respected for his learning, he desired somethign deeper than academic success or public recognition. Seeking a life entirely devoted to God, he entered the growing Cistercian movement which emphasized prayer, simplicity, manual labor and strict fidelity to the Gospel. What followed would make him one of the most celebrated monks of medieval England.
Robert became known for his remarkable discipline and devotion. He embraced the demanding Cistercian way of life with extraordinary commitment, spending long hours in prayer while serving his community with humility. His reputation for holiness quickly spread throughout northern England. Fellow monks admired his wisdom, while ordinary people sought his spiritual guidance. In 1138, Robert became the founding abbot of Newminster Abbey near Morpeth. Under his leadership, the monastery flourished and became a center of prayer, learning and Christian witness.
During his lifetime, numerous miraculous events were attributed to Robert’s prayers. Accounts describe healings, prophetic insights and extraordinary spiritual gifts. While medieval Christians were deeply impressed by these reports, Robert himself remained humble and avoided attention. Rather than focusing on miracles, he continually directed people toward God, teaching that genuine holiness begins with faith, repentance and obedience. His example demonstrated that true spiritual greatness is rooted in humility rather thatn fame.
Church-to-church Pen Pal Program
Does anyone write letters anymore? You can! Join our church-to-church Pen Pal program during our parish anniversary celebration!
As part of our parish’s 75th, we’re partnering with St. Robert of Newminster Church in Shorewood, Wisc. in a Pen Pal program. The program will take place over the eight months of our anniversary celebrations, from Nov. 15, 2026 through June 6, 2027.
Individuals and families from each parish will be paired up to swap letters, postcards, or notes. This is a wonderful opportunity to share prayer requests, exchange stories, and encourage one another in faith – using actual pencils and pens! And, just imagine receiving something other than bills and junk mail in your mailbox!
DETAILS:
- WHO can participate? Everyone! Adults of all ages, seniors, couples, and families with children
- HOW does it work? Once you sign up, you’ll be paired with a pen pal from SRN in Wisconsin. Please commit to sending at least one note per month for the duration of the program (eight months). We will even mail your correspondence for you! Starting the weekend of Nov. 14/15, leave your mail in the mailbox at the table near the stairs leading up to Newminster Hall. Letters left there on the weekend will be posted and mailed by a member of our staff on Mondays.
- SIGN ME UP! Click the button below to sign up to participate. One of our staff or committee members will follow up with you with the name and contact information of your Pen Pal and additional instructions. You can also sign up by calling Molly or Heidi in the parish office at (616) 676-9111.
Take home a St. Robert plushie or flat
During our anniversary celebrations, take one of our St. Robert plushie dolls or flats on an adventure with you and your family! He’ll come to stay for a week to 10-days. Include him in your daily activities – hanging out at home, on the drive to work or school, to Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, trips to the grocery store or playground, or around the dinner table, or take him with you on family outings such as visits to local attractions or vacation.
Please document your time together in the journal provided, and take photos of yourself or your family that include St. Robert and print and glue them in the journal as well, or if you’re comfortable doing so, share them to your social media. Tag St. Robert of Newminster Catholic Church (srncatholicchurch) with the hashtag #srnada75.
Return St. Robert after Mass on the following weekend: by returning the St. Robert plushie or flat to the large Ziploc bag and placing it in the bin in the coatroom near Door D.
If you have any questions, please contact the parish office at (616) 676 9111.
