"... 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.
Adult Faith Formation Events
Recipe for a Better World: A Deep Dive into Pope Leo's Letter Magnificent Humanity
Two options: Group Study or Self-Study
Group Study: 5 Wed. evenings starting Sept. 23, 7:30-8:45 pm
OR 5 Thurs. mornings starting Sept. 24, 10-11:15 am
Instructor: Diane Vella, MA, Pastoral Minister
Self Study: Register below, and you'll receive instructions on how to purchase the Study Guide ($5) any time at the parish office or Church lobby desk.
Pope Leo’s letter is an invitation to all of us – and to our world – to follow the way of Jesus as we face the challenges and concerns of our day. Worried about affordability? War? Immigration? AI taking over your job? Political division? Catholic Social Teaching gives us the roadmap out of all of it, as we begin to truly understand and reverence the God-given human dignity of every person, and to make our personal decisions and our social policies accordingly.
Click here to register for group option by September 21; register any time for self study option.
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! No registration required.
upcoming Topics:
Sept. 27 What do we believe about immigration?
Oct. 25 What does it mean to be "saved"?
Nov. 22 What about purgatory?
Jan. 24 Is Jesus coming again? When??
Feb. 28 How exactly does Jesus' death on the cross save us?
Apr. 25 Why bother going to Mass?
May 23 What does the Church REALLY think about sex?
E.R.! Eucharistic Revival
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!
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
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.
