St. Andrew's has seen many changes...

The beginings of Saint Andrew were established in 1833 when Fr. Frederic Baraga built the first church, Saint Mary Mission, amid the Indian cornfields on the west side of the Grand River. After the Indian population dispersed, the pastor, Fr. Andreas Viszoczky, built a new church on Monroe Avenue, naming the parish for Saint Andrew, his patron saint. The church, built from Grand River limestone, was completed in 1850 and was the largest building in town. This church was soon inadequate for its growing population and, in 1875, a new church was built at its present location. Pope Leo XIII established the Grand Rapids Diocese seven years later, and the first bishop, Henry J. Richter, chose Saint Andrew as his new Cathedral. There were 50,000 Catholics in the diocese.