Adult Ministry

This program is especially for adults who are considering becoming Catholic and baptized Catholics who seek to receive first Eucharist and/or confirmation. The class has also proven useful for sponsors of those preparing to receive sacraments and Catholics in general who want to strengthen their knowledge about the basics of our faith.

This year’s class begins the first Sunday after Labor Day, September 13, 2026. We’ll begin after the 9:00 a.m. Mass at 10:30 a.m. and go until 12:15 p.m. A light breakfast will be served each week.

Traditionally, the first few months of OCIA are called the “inquiry” period. It’s an opportunity to learn some basics of Catholic Theology and ask lots of questions. After Christmas, the class will focus on a deeper dive into Catholic teaching and on the specifics of getting ready to be brought into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil Mass. I expect it to be a beautiful and life changing process for everyone involved.

To register for St. Robert’s OCIA program, please complete and submit the interest form found here or contact Hans Whitmer (see below).

If you have any questions, please contact Hans Whitmer, director of faith formation, (616) 676-9111, ext. 117 or HWhitmer@StRobertChurch.org

Adults eager to deepen their understanding of the Bible and share their faith stories are warmly invited to join our Bible Study groups. We offer unique study programs designed to help our SRN faith community grow in a loving relationship with Christ. No prior experience is needed to join any group, and all materials are provided upon registration. Keep an eye on the bulletin for specific registration information.

St. Robert offers several different Bible studies: (Please see the accordion sections below for additional details)

• The Great Adventure Bible Study – The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation (Renewed version) will be offered Mondays, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. starting Sept. 28, 2026 (24-week study). Sign up here.
• A Gospel of Luke: The Story of Salvation Fulfilled study series is offered on Wednesdays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. starting Sept. 30, 2026 (8-week study). Sign up here.
• Sunday Scripture Reflection Bible Study offered on Tuesday mornings and,
• Women’s Bible Study on Wednesday mornings

Contact: Hans Whitmer, Director of Faith Formation, (616) 676-9111, ext. 117 or HWhitmer@StRobertChurch.org

The Great Adventure Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation (renewed version) study.

St. Robert of Newminster will offer The Bible Timeline weekly on Mondays beginning Monday, Sept. 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Participants will meet every week for 24 weeks to view an engaging video presentation, followed by a time of lively group discussion and fellowship. Cost: $50

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Reading the Bible should bring us closer to Christ, but understanding it is often difficult. The good news is that you can understand the Bible—and the newly refilmed Bible Timeline program makes it easy. This twenty-four-part study will take you on a guided journey through salvation history, while offering fresh, practical tools to help you read and appreciate the Bible.

Author Jeff Cavins, alongside many other trusted Catholic presenters, shows you how fourteen of the Bible’s narrative books tell the story of salvation from beginning to end and gives you the keys to unpack the amazing narrative thread woven throughout the Bible. The program also features brand-new presenters: Fr. Mike Schmitz, Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, and many more!

In its approach to studying Scripture, The Bible Timeline divides the Bible into twelve time periods that make it easier to follow its narrative thread. Using a unique color-coded chart, you will learn about the major people, places, and events of the Bible and discover how they all come together to reveal the remarkable story of our Catholic Faith. The presenters will guide you through more than fifty extraordinary sites across several key locations: The Holy Land, Egypt, Rome, and more!

The study registration fee includes a beautiful spiral bound workbook. Additionally, if you don’t currently have a study Bible you use and love, consider ordering a Great Adventure Bible.

To learn more, click here.

Watch the trailer on the Ascension Press YouTube Channel.

For more information, contact Hans Whitmer at 616-676-911,  ext. 117 or HWhitmer@strobertchurch.org.

St. Robert of Newminster will offer The Gospel of Luke weekly on Wednesdays beginning Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Participants will meet in Marian Hall every week for eight weeks to view an engaging video presentation, followed by a time of lively group discussion and fellowship. Cost: $35

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The Gospel of Luke takes you on a journey that begins with the foretelling of John the Baptist’s birth and culminates in Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Along the way, you will witness key moments in salvation history, including the Annunciation; the Nativity; Jesus’ baptism; his public ministry; the Last Supper; and Jesus’ suffering, death, and glorious Resurrection. The Gospel’s powerful prose and beautiful details will deepen your desire to draw closer to Jesus and be transformed by his teachings.

The Gospel of Luke continually reveals how Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. With Luke: The Story of Salvation Fulfilled, you will experience joy as you see how God has been faithful throughout the ages and how God’s promise can guide you in your everyday lives.

The study registration fee includes a beautiful spiral bound workbook. Additionally, if you don’t currently have a study Bible you use and love, consider ordering a Great Adventure Bible. Watch the Bible promo video on Amazon here.

Watch the trailer on the Ascension Press YouTube Channel.

For more information, contact Hans Whitmer, direct of faith formation, at 616-676-911,  ext. 117 or HWhitmer@strobertchurch.org.

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
TUESDAYS, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Marian Hall (enter through Door A)

Who? Attendees are adult women and men who are age 18 and older. Some have participated for decades. Some of us are lectors—and these sessions help us to be better lectors. There are usually six to 12 attendees each Tuesday. In winter some of us head south, and in summer some of us spend time at cottages.

What? We meet as follows: socialize, open with a prayer, have a Getting To Know You-icebreaker segment (for instance Do you have a good memory of our ‘old church building’, How do you prepare for the birth of the baby Jesus, What are your bedtime prayers, What is one of your favorite vacations?), list our prayer requests, and then read aloud and review the weekend scriptures-Readings 1 and 2, the Responsorial Psalm, and the Gospel.

When? We meet at 9 am on Tuesday mornings year around, discuss our week, strengthen our friendships, and share a morning snack. These snacks have included fresh fruit home-made cookies, strawberry rhubarb pie, birthday cake, fresh pineapple, Hostess Snoballs, Little Debbie muffins, nectarines and… Our reflections begin at 9:30 am and finish promptly at 11 am. On occasion we then share lunch at a local restaurant, share home-prepared lunches in our meeting room, or have lunch at an attendee’s home. On those rare Tuesday mornings we do not meet it is because of the occasional challenges of West Michigan winter weather. And one of your Tuesday Morning friends may be able to drive you to and from our sessions as needed. These 90-minute sessions may become one of the highlights of your St Robert’s faith life!

Where? We meet in Marian Hall Room 112. There are tables and seats for up to 30. Parking is available just outside Door A leading to Marian Hall (and the parish office)—which is helpful for those who have difficulty walking. On occasion we have been invited to meet in the home of one of the regular attendees.

How? We begin by considering the theme of the upcoming weekend readings, and then we read each scripture passage from the Lectionary (A Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers and Proclaimers of the Word is provided to each attendee). After each scripture passage we share our answers to questions about how we understand or feel about that passage. All attendees are gently invited to participate in the questions and answers.

Sample discussion questions:

• How difficult do you think it was for the Israelites exiled to Babylon to retain their faith in God?
• Are you surprised to read that the people of Israel found favor in the law, had fear of the Lord, and abided by the rules passed on to them by Moses?
• Do you believe the Corinthian community so loved by St. Paul may have been very much like our dynamic, talented, vibrant, deeply divided citizens of the USA in 2025?
• Are you able to compare and contrast Jesus and Caesar as savior, messiah, and lord?

Why? We have become close friends over the months and years we have spent Tuesday mornings together. Our Tuesday morning friends welcome your sharing your faith with them. We also become more prepared to listen to the readings at weekend Mass. And we anticipate the weekend homilies in comparison to our own reflections of the readings.

You are invited! If you wish, simply show up on a Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. and meet us as new or ‘already’ friends and neighbors. We believe you will grow to love us and these 90 minutes with wonderful people and God’s word. Or you can contact Tom Hackett at (616) 724-2720 to talk about these sessions before ‘diving in’ or email Tom at tghackett@aol.com!

All women of the parish are invited to join us as we explore, study, pray, and celebrate the Word of God! Our goal is to always seek the understanding of Scripture and to grow spiritually through its message from the Living God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Various books of the Bible are studied throughout the year. We meet weekly on Wednesdays at 9:45 a.m. in Marian Hall, September to May.

Contact: Hans Whitmer, Director of Faith Formation
(616) 676-9111 ext 117 or HWhitmer@StRobertChurch.org

Truly understanding how God sees femininity is part of living fully and freely. In a world that often reduces things to clichés and labels, God wants to show us more—both about who He is and who we are. This season, we’ll explore the beauty and depth of what Saint John Paul II called the “Feminine Genius,” and offer real, practical guidance for navigating the mental, emotional, and spiritual challenges many women face every day.

In fall 2025, St. Robert parish rolled out a new women’s program called SHE. SHE is for ALL women of the parish no matter what stage of life they are in. The program focuses on fellowship, diving deeper into your faith, and incorporating that faith into your daily life and is the counterpart to “That Man Is You!,” a similarly structured program for men. Both are available through Paradisus Dei.

2026-27
Themes:
Fall 2026 – Love Unveiled (9 sessions)
Spring 2027 – Restored to Radiance (9 sessions)

Fall 2026: The Fall sessions begin on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. A morning gathering from 9:30-11:00 a.m. and evening gathering from 7:00-8:30 p.m. is offered each Thursday. Each meeting consists of 3 essential elements: fellowship with refreshments, video presentation, and discussion within small groups.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Contact: Michelle Ptak, faith formation assistant, michellep@strobertchurch.org, or (616) 676-9111, ext. 113.

That Man Is You! (TMIY) is an interactive men’s program focused on the development of male leadership in the modern world. It combines the best research from science, with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints, to develop the vision of authentic men capable of transforming themselves, their families, and greater society.

This group meets every Friday from 6:00 – 7:30 a.m. in the Parish Life Center September through May.

2026-27

Beginning Fall 2026: The Revelation of the Father featuring a powerful team of presenters. Begins at St. Robert on Sept. 18, 2026!

Revelation of the Father calls men to take the next step in their leadership by discovering that the very heart of God the Father echoes in their own hearts. This is more than formation – it is renewal that restores fathers, rebuilds marriages, strengthens families, and forms not spectators but builders: architects of an authentically Christian civilization and the foundation of a new springtime of Christianity.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

If you have questions, please contact Al Juarez: (616) 550-9996 or aljuarez2@gmail.com

Twice a year, typically during Lent and Advent, women of our parish and the larger community, are invited to participate in events to help them be more Alive, Loving, Inspired, Vibrant, and Engaged. Details on each event are posted on our Women ALIVE event page, the Upcoming Events page, and in the weekly bulletin.

We need help to prepare for these events! Contact Michelle Ptak, Faith Formation Assistant, if you would like to assist at (616) 676-9111, ext. 123 or michellep@strobertchurch.org.