St. Bernard Parish at 500 Route 22 East, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 US - A Brief History of St. Bernard ChurchCelebrating 150 Years of Faith and Service 1854-2004

Ecclesiastical records reveal that St. Bernard Parish was preceded by the establishment of a mission station for the area known as Somerville. Fr. Hugh McGuire was the first priest assigned to this mission, from 1843 to 1846.

The year 1854 was one of great significance, being the year that Pope Pius IX proclaimed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother. The same year, the Catholics of this community, though few in number, participated in the dedication of their own church, fittingly given over to the care of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. It began as a small, wooden building located on what is now known as Church Street in Raritan. In those early years of our parish it was not uncommon for Catholics to walk from as far away as Flemington to attend mass! Soon after being built, disaster struck the new parish in the form of a fire which burned the church beyond repair. It was then that saddened but undaunted parishioners began planning the erection of a new brick structure.

From 1855 to 1856 masses were said in private homes. Then on October 14, 1864, in compliance with civil and canon law, the parish of St. Bernard was incorporated. Bishop Bayley, a relative of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton and a descendant of the famous Roosevelt family is recorded as the first Bishop to bestow the sacrament of Confirmation at St. Bernard.

In 1876 Fr. Joseph Zimmer assumed the duties of pastor, which at that time included the missions of Somerville, Bound Brook, and Millstone. Shortly after his arrival, the property for the parish cemetery was purchased.

On July 15, 1881 the Diocese of Trenton was established and St. Bernard Parish was included in the boundaries of the new diocese. In this very same year a new rectory was build. The old one, having been purchased 25 years earlier, was relocated to Wall Street in Raritan, to serve as a convent for the Plainfield Sisters of Mercy.

In 1889 the St. Bernard parochial school was built on Somerset Street in Raritan. Fr. Zimmer’s pastorate, which began as a temporary assignment, spanned a period of 47 years, ending with his death in 1923. Truly an integral part of the community, he was mourned by many non-Catholics and Catholics alike.

Under several pastors, the years between Fr. Zimmers death and the year 1948 saw many improvements in the church, including the restoration of walls and ceiling, the opening of the center aisle, and the installation of new pews and altar rails.

In 1948, Fr. Joseph Miller was appointed to supervise the parish, followed by Fr. James Mackenzie in 1956. Under his guidance, in 1956, funding was initiated for the erection of the parish center, the building which currently houses St. Bernard Pre-School and Kindergarten.

Fr. Mackenzie passed away on August 3, 1981 and in September of 1981, Fr. John Brundage was installed as the twelfth pastor of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church. During his pastorate, Fr. John undertook the task of building two mausoleums at the cemetery as well as a new church and rectory. The dedication of these new sites took place on September 28, 1988 at a con-celebrated mass with Bishop Edward T. Hughes officiating.

On August 20, 2000, Fr. Joseph G. Celano was installed as pastor of St. Bernard Parish, after serving for one year as our Administrator. Fr. Joe’s pastorate, began with preparation for, and celebration of the Jubilee Year. Also during this time, a third and fourth addition to the cemetery mausoleums has been begun. Under Fr. Joe’s leadership a re-structuring of the parish, under the direction of the governing bodies of the Pastoral, Finance and Stewardship Councils has taken place after two years of ongoing prayer, reflection and formation.

Some Current Facts

St. Bernard is a vibrant, active parish which is quickly approaching 2,200 families in size. Our Catechetical Formation Program, under the direction of Doris Hofmann has an enrollment of approximately 1,100. The are110 "little ones" currently enrolled in St. Bernard Pre-School and Kindergarten, under the drection of Barbara Turse and her gifted staff.

We have exstensive outreach ministry here at St. Bernard which includes serving the elderly and the homebound, at Harborside-Woodsedge Extented Care in Bridgewater, Raritan Health and Extended Care in Raritan, and the Centerbridge and Avalon Assisted Living Facilities, both in Bridgewater. Our service consistes of Mass at the nursing homes as well as communion services and sick calls, weekly communion calls and calls for the sacrament of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick, at any time.

In additional, we support the New Moms, New Expectations facility, located in the "White House" right on the church property. Here, free day care is provided for single moms, so that they may continue their educations, or job training programs. Please visit the New Mom's page, located on the right of the Home Page for more information.

The Parish Office is open weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM, and on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

All of our staff members and departments can be accessed through this website, and we look forward to hearing from you and receiving your input on matters pertaining to St. Bernard Parish!

Directions to St. Bernard

For detailed directions to St. Bernard please click onto the Online Map button on the left hand side of our Home Page.