About St. Bernadette Parish · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
St. Bernadette Catholic Parish is a welcoming Catholic faith community on Milwaukee's northwest side, empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring about the Kingdom of God through worship, the Word, and service in the pattern of Jesus. The parish was announced in June 1958 and was the last new Catholic parish founded within the city limits of Milwaukee. Since 1958 it has served the northwest communities of Milwaukee and surrounding areas as a place of prayer and worship, marked today by its outdoor grotto (built 1961) and a Marian mosaic that once graced the interior of the church. Today St. Bernadette is clustered with St. Catherine of Alexandria and Our Lady of Good Hope as the Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes (NWCP), sharing one pastor and staff.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- St. Bernadette Soubirous (of Lourdes)
- Rector
- Fr. Greg Greiten (Administrator of the Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Bernadette offers the warmth of a smaller, multigenerational Catholic community that knows its own heritage — from a tent-Mass beginning in 1958 to today's shared life with two sister parishes in the Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes cluster. Parishioners can worship at a Sunday 10:30am Mass (with a monthly 9:00am Mass in Hmong) and a Tuesday 4:00pm Mass, pray at the outdoor grotto built in 1961, support Northwest Catholic School, and join in mission and outreach that reaches a changing neighborhood of Black, Hmong, and African immigrant families.
Mass times at St. Bernadette Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First and third Saturdays of each month at 4:00pm (with the exception of Holy Saturday)
- Communal Reconciliation celebrated during Advent and Lent within the tri-parish Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes cluster
Adoration times
- Third Tuesday of each month at St. Bernadette, 2:50pm
Our Heritage: A Story of Faith
The parish traces its origin to July 1957, when Archbishop Albert G. Meyer purchased the property from Joseph Spartz. The formation of St. Bernadette was announced in June 1958, and Fr. John Arens was appointed the first pastor. The very first Mass was celebrated outdoors in a tent on July 13, 1958, and that tent served as the Sunday worship space until October 1958, when cold weather moved Sunday liturgies to neighboring St. Catherine Church. In just six months the parish grew to 446 families, and members have continued to build out the campus to meet the community's needs. The 50th anniversary in 2008 was a special year of celebration, and the parish has hosted a commemorative tent Mass during its festival weekend to keep those founding memories alive.
- Property purchased by Archbishop Albert G. Meyer, July 1957
- Parish formation announced June 1958; Fr. John Arens named first pastor
- First Mass in a tent: July 13, 1958
- Sunday Mass moved to St. Catherine Church for winter 1958
- 446 families in first six months
- 50th anniversary celebrated in 2008
About St. Bernadette, Our Patroness
St. Bernadette Soubirous was born in Lourdes, France, in 1844 to a very poor family and was herself in poor health. On Thursday, February 11, 1858, while gathering firewood with her younger sister and a friend, a beautiful Lady dressed in blue and white appeared to her above a rosebush in the Massabielle grotto. The Lady smiled, made the sign of the cross with a rosary of ivory and gold, and was revealed as the Blessed Virgin Mary. Over time Our Lady told Bernadette to pray, do penance, and have a chapel built; she also told her to dig in the mud, where a spring of water began to flow, at which many miracles were reported. Bernadette later became a nun — famously humble, she once said the Blessed Virgin chose her 'only because I was the most ignorant.' She died on April 16, 1879, at the age of 35, and her body has remained internally incorrupt; the chapel where she lies in state continues to draw pilgrims.
- Born Lourdes, France, 1844
- First apparition of Our Lady: February 11, 1858
- Apparitions continued — told to pray, do penance, build a chapel
- Our Lady told her to dig — a spring of water flowed; miracles reported
- Died April 16, 1879, at age 35
- Body reported internally incorrupt; chapel at Nevers is a pilgrimage site
- Feast Day: April 16
Our Sacred Space: Grotto and Marian Mosaic
St. Bernadette invites visitors to come see its campus and its places of prayer. The outdoor grotto, built in 1961, has been an inspiration to many and is a place to sit and pray. A Marian mosaic that once adorned the inside of the church has been moved outside so that all passersby in the neighborhood can appreciate its beauty and blessing. The parish's gathering area and lobby entryway are also welcoming places to gather with friends and neighbors before or after Mass.
- Outdoor grotto (built 1961)
- Marian mosaic (originally inside the church, now displayed outside)
- Gathering area / lobby entryway
Mass and Sacraments
St. Bernadette's regular Mass schedule is Sunday at 10:30am and Tuesday at 4:00pm. As part of the Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes cluster, the parish also shares in Saturday evening Mass at Our Lady of Good Hope (4:00pm) and Thursday Mass at St. Catherine of Alexandria (12:00pm). A monthly Hmong-language Mass is offered at 9:00am on the Sunday of the fourth full weekend of each month, reflecting the growing Hmong community at the parish.
- Sunday 10:30am at St. Bernadette
- Tuesday 4:00pm at St. Bernadette
- Monthly Hmong Mass: Sunday of 4th full weekend, 9:00am
- Sacrament of Reconciliation: 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 4:00pm (except Holy Saturday)
- Communal Reconciliation during Advent and Lent (cluster)
Northwest Catholic School
Northwest Catholic School carries on a long legacy of Catholic education on the northwest side of Milwaukee, going back nearly 150 years to when sponsoring parish St. Catherine of Alexandria first began educating children of Granville. When St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Good Hope were built, they too embraced Catholic education. In July 2009 the three parish schools merged into one school — Northwest Catholic School. Beginning in 2016–17 the school joined eight other Milwaukee-area Catholic schools in the Seton Catholic Schools network, and for the 2017–18 school year it consolidated to a single campus at 7152 North 41st Street, with primary, intermediate, and middle-school wings.
- Three parish schools merged in July 2009
- Joined Seton Catholic Schools in 2016–17
- Consolidated to one campus at 7152 N. 41st St. in 2017–18
- Grades K4–8; a Choice school
- Mission: faith, academics, skills, service, leadership, social development
Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes (Cluster)
St. Bernadette is one of three parishes — together with St. Catherine of Alexandria and Our Lady of Good Hope — that collaborate as the Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes (NWCP). The parishes share a pastor (Fr. Greg Greiten), administrative staff, Tri-Parish religious education, and outreach efforts, while each retains its own worship schedule and identity. Together they work to be a sustainable Catholic presence on the changing northwest side of Milwaukee, reaching Black, Hmong, and African immigrant neighbors through social services and welcome.
- Three parishes share one pastor and staff
- Tri-Parish religious education
- Shared cluster Mass and Reconciliation schedule
- Cluster outreach includes the St. Catherine food pantry (~150 residents/month)
Staff and Leadership
The Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes team serving St. Bernadette includes clergy, deacons / brothers, and lay staff. Fr. Greg Greiten serves as Administrator of the cluster parishes; Fr. Mark Payne is Associate Pastor; Fr. Francis Assisi Sebamalai is a Pastoral Associate; and Br. Joe Pense, SDS is part of the team. Lay staff include Jim Neuner (Director of Administrative Services), Diane Govern (Director of Finance), Theresa Moniot Olivares (Senior Administrative Assistant), Sue Riedijk, Mary Dahl (Pastoral Minister), Simon Biagui, Mark Mrozek (Director of Liturgy & Music), and Phillip Aller (Facilities Manager). The cluster also has a Pastoral Council that helps lead the vision of the community.
- Fr. Greg Greiten — Administrator
- Fr. Mark Payne — Associate Pastor
- Fr. Francis Assisi Sebamalai — Pastoral Associate
- Br. Joe Pense, SDS
- Jim Neuner — Director of Administrative Services
- Diane Govern — Director of Finance
- Theresa Moniot Olivares — Senior Administrative Assistant
- Mary Dahl — Pastoral Minister
- Mark Mrozek — Director of Liturgy & Music
- Phillip Aller — Facilities Manager
- Pastoral Council
Mission and Welcome
St. Bernadette Parish describes itself as a welcoming Catholic faith community, empowered by the Holy Spirit to help bring about the Kingdom of God through worshiping in sacrament, teaching the Word, and serving as Jesus did. Drawing inspiration from the life and blessings of St. Bernadette, the parish is called to live out Jesus' ministry in its neighborhood and beyond — welcoming all who wish to join in prayer, formation, and service.
- Mission: worship, Word, and service
- Inspired by the life of St. Bernadette
- Called to live Jesus' ministry in the neighborhood and beyond
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Arens1958 (first pastor)
Appointed first pastor when the parish was announced in June 1958.