St. Bernadette Church

Their neighbor is Little Company of Mary Hospital, and St. Bernadette’s property was originally acquired from the sisters. The worship space for the founding parishioners in 1948 was a quonset hut which still serves as the school gym. The present contemporary brick edifice, erected in 1957, has a porcelain bas-relief of its patron illuminated at night on its recently renovated bell tower. The church’s wood-beamed interior with tasteful marble accents, holds a number of references to the sainted 19th century French peasant girl and her miraculous Lady, in stained glass windows and statues in both the church and its Eucharistic chapel. Medals or mementoes are distributed on Bernadette’s feastday, April 16 and a nine-day novena that began on Our Lady of Lourdes’ feastday, Feb. 11, will end after the 8:30 a.m. Mass Feb. 20. Each first Saturday anointing of the sick takes place at 8:30 a.m. Mass in this prayer-filled, neighborhood-oriented parish.

Pastor: Father Kurt D. Boras
Masses: Saturdays 4 p.m./ Sundays 7, 9 & 11 a.m.
Parish founded: 1947
Seating capacity: 1,200
Phone: (708) 422-8995

Photo by Sandy Bertog