St. Bernard Catholic Church

Order Form for Valentine's Dinner - Valentine's Order Form - 2021

L

Lenten Dining Program 2021 Order Form - Lenten Menu 2021

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Dear Friends,
Last week I wrote about the importance of “belonging” to a parish family. This week I’d like to address the topic of SPONSORSHIP FOR THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. When parents ask to have a child baptized, they choose two GODparents to assist them in raising the child in the faith. In this, parents are asked to choose two people (one man and one woman) who, by living the life of an active catholic can best give witness to the child being baptized...or confirmed. A person who is asked to be a sponsor for either Baptism or Confirmation should approach their parish priest and ask for a SPONSOR CERTIFICATE. Listed on a sponsor certificate are the qualifications for what makes a worthy sponsor: the sponsor should have received the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation). It only makes sense that a catholic who is asked to “stand up” for someone being baptized should themselves be fully initiated catholics. The sponsor should be a PRACTICING CATHOLIC by regularly attending Mass and confession when necessary. The sponsor, if married, should be married sacramentally by a priest through the Sacrament of Matrimony: again, setting a good example of catholic living. I would also add that if a sponsor has children, those children should also be receiving the sacraments and being raised as catholics. That’s what you promise to do at baptism. So it is important for perspective parents to give prayerful thought before choosing the right GODparents for your children. When the case arises that GODparents are not living the catholic faith, I invite them to “come back” to a living faith...that if you are being honored by being asked to be a GODparent, why not be the best example you can be for that child. If a GODparent doesn’t want to be a practicing catholic, then I would challenge them to politely excuse themselves and suggest that the baby’s parents select someone different. Remember...none of us are 100% at living the faith...that’s why we’re called “practicing” catholics...because we’re always trying to get it right!

I hope this is helpful...
Father Jim

Sunday, August 13, 2020

Dear Friends,
Here at Saint Bernard’s Parish we are blessed to have a good deal of request to have children baptized… a great sign of growth for our community! One of the things I run across when meeting with parents of children to be baptized is that they are not members of a parish. So I explain that Baptism is the sacrament of belonging and it makes sense to join a parish before the sacraments are celebrated there. Last week a couple from another town came in to inquire about having their child baptized: they didn’t want to join Saint Bernard’s...they just want to “get the baby baptized ‘cause she’s already five months old.” I explained that they were welcome to join the parish and have the child baptized here...or join a parish closer to where they lived. I went on to say that you have a local bank...a local supermarket...a local gas station...a local pharmacy...so we should have a local parish where we partake of the services of the local parish: a parish where we come to know the priest (and he comes to know us). A parish where we worship and support...where we receive the sacraments along the journey of life...and when someone in the family is sick that priest visits them and brings the sacraments...where our children go to be married...where our children are instructed in the Catholic faith through Religious Education...and when called home to God, our funeral is celebrated in the parish church where I lived my faith during life. It is important to feel a part of a parish. These days with the pandemic it seems that we are just “coming and going from Mass” for a half hour or so. That’s why I ask you to please read the bulletin, especially about the new “FUN”RAISING GROUP and the MINI FESTIVAL to be held at the end of September...just a few ways to come together as a community... as a parish family...to feel like we belong!      AND ALL ARE WELCOME!
Father Jim

Membership to Bernie's Bucks runs from September to June.  $15.00 per month - $150.00 for 10 months

Monthly payments must be made by the end of each month to be eligible for that month's drawings of $100.00 per week.  Full payment of $150.00 must be received by June 15th to be eligible for the

Grand Prize Drawings -      $2,000.00      $1,000.00         $500.00       and entitled to attend the annual brunch at no extra cost

Members paid in full by Nov. 30th are eligible for a special drawing of $500.00 held the 1st Saturday of December

  click this link for the registration form -  Bernie's Bucks Registration Form