St. Bernard Church
7341 Cottage Street
Philadelphia, Pa. 19136 Why was this name selected for the parish? Who first suggested it?
The parish was established by Rev. Edward J. Halihan, who erected the original church and school building in 1929. Fr. Halihan left in 1933 to become pastor of St. Bernard in Easton, Pa. and died there in 1946.
What feast day does the parish celebrate?
In the past we have had processions and special devotions honoring our patron saint (St. Bernard) on his feast day, which is August 20th. This year we celebrated with prayers and water-ice (something St. Bernard himself never experienced).
Of which ministries are you most proud?
Aid for Friends, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, R.C.I.A., Catholic Daughters of the Holy Trinity Court, and our parish choir.
Are there any new ministries projected to begin this year?
A new social committee has been formed by some of our parishioners and Father Szparagowski who saw a need in the parish for the community to come together socially and for fundraising.
Those who are not parishioners might be surprised to know:
Father William Dalton was the pastor from 1933 to 1971 and during his pastoral he built the convent, rectory, new school and the present church. Although he died in 1973, his memory and presence is still in our community.
Has anyone famous, now or previously, been a member of the parish?
Archbishop John Foley was a resident of our Church from 1966 to 1967. Now Bishops Michael Burbidge (1984-1986) and Joseph Cistone ( 1989-1991) were both assistant pastors in our Church from 1989 to 1991.
What interesting artifacts, architectural features and/or special works of art are in the church?
We have statues of the Blessed Mother, St. Theresa and the Sacred Heart from our original Church, which was in 1929. These statues were purchased by the founding pastor, Father Halihan.
What occasions of or in the parish have been particularly poignant?
In 2002 we celebrated our 75th anniversary with a series of events. We also published the history of our parish, which was written by Father Tom Dunleavy.
Special Ministries – Our Parishioners have a special devotion to the Memorare prayer written by St. Bernard. Our 40 hours devotion has a procession around the grounds and ends with outdoor benediction. We also have a Miraculous Medal Devotion every Tuesday night and the Rosary is said after daily Mass for vocation.
What are among the most commonly asked questions about the parish?
How do you pronounce our name? Is it Bernard or Burrnard?
The pastor would also like all to know the following about the parish:
The parish of St. Bernard is a true community of faith that welcomes all people and reaches out to those in need. Our parishioners are very generous.
The number of sisters from our local convents, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sisters of St. Joseph and Notre Dame Sisters, who worship daily and on Sunday with our community is a special blessing for us all.
PARISH FACTS:
Cluster: 15
Date Founded: December 17, 1927
Current Pastor: Rev. Charles J. Sullivan
Parochial Vicar(s):
Rev. George J. Szparagowski
Priest(s) in Residence:
Rev. David B. Machain and Rev. John G. Fala
Permanent Deacon(s):
Rev. Mr. Richard F. Hunter
School:
St. Bernard School
Number of Students: 360
Lay Staff Members: 22
Religious Staff Members: 0
Principal: Miss Ruth Andruskevich
Number of Registered Individuals: 7, 700
Number of Registered Families: 2, 700
Annually, number of:
Baptisms: 110
Marriages: 35
Funerals: 97 |