Adult Continuing Faith Formation
"... to teach as Jesus did means calling and equipping all Christians of every age and stage of life to fulfill their baptismal call to holiness in family, Church and society - their mission to evangelize and transform the world into a more caring and just society..."
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States, 1999
At St. Bernard's, we seek to form and nurture the faith of all of our parishioners " from womb to tomb." The Catholic Church wisely observes that since adults are the ones who have the greatest ability to understand and respond to the call of Jesus to "follow me" and to transform society, providing opportunity for adults to grow in faith and put it into action should be the top priority in parish faith formation. In keeping with this mandate, St. Bernard's parish offers ongoing opportunities for adults of all ages and interests to deepen their spiritual lives and their understanding of the Catholic faith, and to explore ways to bring the presence of Christ to their homes, communities and workplaces.
We believe we CAN change the world - one committed Catholic Christian adult at a time!
Got a question about faith or the Catholic Church?? Click here!
To keep up to date on Adult Faith Formation opportunities, check our print or online bulletin, our Facebook page,
and sign up for parish update e-mails!
For information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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St. Bernard's Summer 2026 40-Day Reading, Reflection, Discussion
Read just a little ea
ch day of Pope Leo’s amazing letter, "The Grandeur of Humanity", note your own reflections, and, if you’d like, join with others on Sunday, August 23, after the 10 am Mass for bagels and conversation!
The letter is available for free on many websites, including
https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/full-text-of-magnifica-humanitas-read-pope-leo-xiv-s-first-encyclical , or available for purchase in book form from most online booksellers, or by calling Ascension Press at 800-376-0520.
If you'd like to join the August 23 discussion, click here.
JULY 2026 PARISH BOOK READ!
Living the Mass - How one hour a week can change your life
Read the book on your own, and choose to discuss it with others on August 3 after 10 am Mass
Many Catholics believe that far more people would attend Mass if only the homilies were better, or the music was more inspiring, or . . . the list goes on. But authors Fr. Dominic Grassi and Joe Paprocki are convinced that the real problem lies not in the Mass itself but in a lack of understanding of how the Mass prepares each person to live day in and day out as a baptized Catholic Christian. In Living the Mass, , Grassi and Paprocki thoughtfully explain how each part of the Mass relates to our baptismal call, and can literally change our lives for the better.
You can order the book from Loyola Press, or any online bookseller.
If you'd like to join the August 2 discussion, click here.
What Catholics REALLY Believe -
a Monthly Sunday Morning Series
A series of one-session topics after the 10 am Mass with Pastoral Minister Diane Vella
Come for the topic - come for the coffee!
check this page in august
for a list of upcoming Topics!
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Our Church and our world are hurting.
We need a visit to the E.R.! (Eucharistic Revival)
Together with the rest of the Catholic Church in the United States, St. Bernard’s recently spent a year exploring, reviving, and re-committing ourselves to the source and summit of our lives, the mystery that gives us hope and purpose and challenges and fuels us to heal our hurting Church and world. We offered opportunities for courses, discussions, presentations, ministry support days, and worship experiences, all designed to “resuscitate” our celebration of the Mass by inviting and supporting the full, conscious and active participation of all! If you're ready to be "revived," you can revisit the revival by clicking in to the resources below!
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E.R. (Eucharistic Revival) Bulletin/Web Series 
A Do-It-Yourself Learning Opportunity
Explore this series of short web articles on the Eucharist at your own time and pace!
To access article series click here for our E.R. resource page and look for "E.R. Bulletin/Web Series" links
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Catholic Bible Basics
Recording of WORD OF GOD SUNDAY presentation by Pastoral Associate Diane Vella, M.A.
For those new to Catholic Bible Study: This is a one-hour BASIC introduction to how we as Catholics are taught to read and understand the Bible. It is not about the interpretation and meaning of specific Bible stories, but rather about HOW TO interpret and find meaning. Examples from Bible stories are given.
You can view the recording anytime by clicking HERE.
