Fredonia Newman Center History

Newman Center In 1951, with the increasing number of students at the State University College at Fredonia, a Newman Club was organized at St. Joseph Church in Fredonia. The physical facilities at St. Joseph were used until 1963, with the pastor also serving as the Newman Club chaplain.

In 1962, at the request of Bishop Joseph Burke, property was sought near the campus for the site of a dedicated Newman Club Center. On April 13, 1963, Msgr. Edward Walker, pastor of St. Joseph Church, with the help of Mr. Horace Pantano, obtained the house and property at 222 Temple Street, which had belonged to Betty and Theodore Gross. The purchase price for the house (probably built in the early 1950s) and property was $17,500.

For a couple of years the house served as the Newman Club Center. In September of 1963 plans were drawn up for a cinderblock building behind the house that would serve as the Newman Center, while the house would become the residence for the director. There was a small existing outbuilding comprising the area of what is now the garage, kitchen, and restrooms; the foundation was probably kept, but the rest of it was taken down.

It was in August of 1963 that the first full time director was named for the Newman Center, Rev. Andrew Fuller, making it independent of St. Joseph Church. On June 19, 1964, Bishop James McNulty, Bishop of Buffalo, officially named the center: the St. Thomas More Chapel and Newman Center. The new center was dedicated a year later by Bishop Stanislaus Brzana, auxiliary Bishop of Buffalo, on May 15, 1965.

Over the years, the Newman Center has been staffed by many dedicated lay people, religious Sisters of Mercy, Felician Sisters, Franciscan Friars, and priests from the Maryknoll Society and the Diocese of Buffalo. The directors of the Newman Center and their years of service are:

Rev. Andrew Fuller 1963 - 1967
Rev. Donald Measer 1967 - 1981
Rev. Patrick Keleher 1981 - 1988
Rev. John Mack 1988 - 1993
Rev. Raymond Donohue 1993 - 1995
Rev. James Vacco, O.F.M. 1995 - 1999
Mr. Robert D. Reisch 2000 - 2001
Rev. Patrick Elis 2001 - 2004
Rev. Michael Parker 2004 - 2007
Mr. Nathan Kropp 2008 - Present