About St. Bernard · Assonet, Massachusetts
St. Bernard Catholic Church is a Roman Latin-rite parish in the village of Assonet, in the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts, serving the southeastern corner of the Diocese of Fall River. Worshipping in a historic former New England meetinghouse on South Main Street, the parish numbers close to 1,700 families with a notably young demographic — about 500 children are enrolled in its religious education program. Under the pastoral care of Fr. Gerard Hebert since August 2021, the parish is described as 'Catholic' in its fullest sense: universal, open to all people of every ethnicity, race, and economic background, united in the common work of striving for holiness.
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
- Rector
- Rev. Gerard Hebert
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Bernard is a growing, family-friendly parish of nearly 1,700 households where the Catholic faith is lived in community — with active liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers), a thriving catechist-led religious formation program for its nearly 500 children, a St. Vincent de Paul Society serving local food, clothing, rent and utility needs, and parish-wide fundraising traditions such as the annual Harvest Festival. Worship is offered in a historic 1833 New England meetinghouse whose 1863 bell still rings, while modern programs — online giving, school-age faith formation, and weekly Monday adoration and Saturday confessions — keep the parish rooted in both tradition and daily parish life.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM (in the church, before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Monday 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM (following the 9:00 AM daily Mass)
Parish History & Dighton Rock
St. Bernard's parish history is inseparable from Dighton Rock, the inscribed boulder on the shore of the Assonet River. Diocesan tradition, drawing on Dr. Manuel Da Silva's 1971 study, holds that the rock bears the name of Portuguese explorer Miguel Corte Real, three Crosses of Christ, the Royal Arms of Portugal, and the date 1511 — the parish's adopted motto 'Claimed for Christ in 1511.' If a chaplain accompanied Corte Real, the parish speculates, the first Catholic Mass in New England may have been celebrated on what is now St. Bernard soil. Before any Catholic institution existed, Assonet was first settled by Englishmen — Benjamin Chase, son of Quaker housewright William Chase, purchased four miles of land in 1685 — and a Baptist meetinghouse stood on Ridge Hill from 1783. Catholic life in the village began with Fr. Bernard Boyland's horse-and-buggy visits from St. Joseph in Fall River in the early 1900s, leading to a 1918 'house-church,' a 1938 Maginnis & Walsh church, parish status in 1977, and ultimately the 1981 move into the present 1833 former Christian Church building.
- 1511 — Claimed for Christ (Dighton Rock etchings, disputed)
- 1685 — Benjamin Chase purchases land in Assonet
- 1783 — First Baptist meetinghouse built on Ridge Hill
- 1833 — Current church building constructed as First Christian Church
- 1863 — 600-pound bell hung (still in use today)
- 1868 — Great Gale brings bell crashing through roof
- 1886 — Near-miss fire; town buys its first fire equipment
- 1918 — First Catholic 'house-church' chapel on South Main Street
- 1938 — Maginnis & Walsh church dedicated by Bishop Cassidy
- 1977 — Elevated to parish status by Bishop Daniel Cronin
- 1979 — Present 1833 building purchased
- 1981 — Bishop Cronin dedicates renovated church
- 1989 — Two-story addition blessed
- 2011 — Hurricane Irene damages steeple; new steeple designed by Andy DiGiammo
- 2018 — 20th annual Harvest Festival with Bishop da Cunha
- 2021 — Fr. Gerard Hebert installed as current pastor
The Building — Oldest Church in the Diocese
The present church is the oldest church building among the 99 parishes of the Diocese of Fall River, according to diocesan historian Rev. Barry Wall. Built in 1833 to replace an earlier Baptist meetinghouse, it was modified in 1867 into the classic New England village church appearance it retains today. The 1863 bell still rings, singed 1886 fire-beams are still visible in the rafters, and an adjacent historic cemetery holds the remains of the building's original Protestant congregation. After Catholics purchased the vacant structure on November 30, 1979, the interior was completely gutted and renovated, and Bishop Cronin dedicated the new parish home on December 20, 1981. A two-story addition blessed in 1989 expanded the sanctuary and added meeting space; further capital improvements under Fr. Racine restored the pews, refinished the altar in hardwood, renovated the parish hall kitchen, added a new rectory garage, and resurfaced the parking lot.
- 1833 First Christian Church building (still in use)
- 1833–1867 original Baptist/classic-meetinghouse form
- 1863 bell — survived 1868 Great Gale
- 1867 façade, windows, and interior remodel
- 1886 fire damage (beams still visible)
- 1979 purchased by St. Bernard
- 1981 interior gut-renovation and dedication
- 1989 two-story addition blessed by Bishop Cronin
- 2018 capital improvements (pews, altar, kitchen, parking)
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Gerard Hebert (installed August 2021). Supporting the pastoral team are Dawn Andrade (Office Manager), Brian and Marlene Correia (Religious Formation Coordinators), Dennis Robinson (Music Director), and Kevin Partridge (Facilities Manager and Sacristan). The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM.
- Rev. Gerard Hebert — Pastor
- Dawn Andrade — Office Manager
- Brian & Marlene Correia — Religious Formation Coordinators
- Dennis Robinson — Music Director
- Kevin Partridge — Facilities Manager & Sacristan
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Liturgical Ministries
St. Bernard welcomes laypeople of all ages into the celebration of the Mass. Altar servers — young men and women who have made their First Communion — assist the priest at weekend, daily, wedding, funeral, and Holy Day liturgies. Lectors proclaim the Scriptures at all weekend and weekday liturgies, with periodic scheduling meetings. Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist distribute Holy Communion (Body or Precious Blood) at any Mass where there is insufficient ordained clergy; appointments are renewable yearly at the pastor's invitation.
- Altar Servers (open to youth after First Communion)
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Bernard is led by Coordinators Brian and Marlene Correia and depends on the largest group of parish volunteers — the catechists. These men and women assist parents in passing on the Catholic faith to the parish's nearly 500 children, with training and support provided; they need not be professional teachers, only people willing to witness their faith.
- Religious Formation Coordinators: Brian & Marlene Correia (508-644-2136)
- Catechist volunteer corps
- Approximately 500 children enrolled
St. Vincent de Paul Outreach
St. Bernard's St. Vincent de Paul Society is an organization of laymen and women dedicated to addressing local needs for food, clothing, rent, or utility payments. The chapter also funds summer 'camperships' for children in need. The names of those served are kept in the strictest confidence. Activities are funded by freewill donations in the poor boxes at the church doors and by the ongoing collection, sale and recycling of donated clothing. Inquiries can be made to Fr. Hebert or by note in a St. Vincent de Paul box in the church.
- Food, clothing, rent and utility assistance
- Summer camperships for children in need
- Clothing-recycling fundraising
- Strict confidentiality
Fundraising & Community Events
The parish's signature community fundraiser is the annual Harvest Festival, which in 2018 (its 20th year) drew Bishop Edgar da Cunha to celebrate an outdoor Mass, included a laser-light show over the festival grounds, and funded the major capital improvements of 2018. Online giving is available through the parish website for recurring or one-time donations, supplementing the Sunday collection.
- Annual Harvest Festival (est. 1998; 20th held 2018)
- Online Giving program
- Capital-improvement fundraising
- Outdoor Mass with Bishop da Cunha (2018)
Music Ministry
Music at St. Bernard is directed by Dennis Robinson, who supports the parish's weekend, daily and Holy Day liturgies as well as weddings, funerals and special celebrations such as the annual Harvest Festival outdoor Mass.
- Music Director: Dennis Robinson
Diocese of Fall River
St. Bernard is one of 99 parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, which covers southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands. It is listed in the diocesan parish directory at fallriverdiocese.org, alongside 32 other parishes and worship sites in the region. Diocesan bishops who have shaped the parish's modern history include Bishop James Cassidy (1938 dedication), Bishop Daniel Cronin (1977 parish status, 1981 dedication, 1989 addition blessing), and Bishop Edgar da Cunha (2018 Harvest Festival outdoor Mass).
- Diocese of Fall River (Roman Catholic)
- Listed at fallriverdiocese.org/parish/st-bernard
- Bishop James Cassidy — 1938 dedication
- Bishop Daniel Cronin — 1977 parish status; 1981 dedication; 1989 addition
- Bishop Edgar da Cunha — 2018 Harvest Festival outdoor Mass
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Bernard at the parish office, 30 South Main Street, Assonet, MA 02702 (the church sits at 32 South Main Street). The parish office phone is (508) 644-5585 with fax (508) 644-2136, and email is [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The parish website at stbernardassonet.org publishes the bulletin, the full liturgical calendar, online giving, and contact forms for the pastor and staff.
- Parish office: 30 South Main Street, Assonet, MA 02702
- Church: 32 South Main Street, Assonet, MA 02702
- Phone: (508) 644-5585
- Fax: (508) 644-2136
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
- Website: stbernardassonet.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Bernard BoylandPre-1918
Pastor of St. Joseph, Fall River; traveled by horse and buggy to say Mass in Assonet homes every two or three months.
- Fr. John Ferez1918–1927
First regular celebrant of weekly Mass at the 1918 'house-church' on South Main Street.
- Fr. Charles Donovan1927–
Chaplain of St. Vincent Home in Fall River; began serving St. Bernard from there and purchased the Pierce estate land.
- Fr. William Harringtonc. 1930–1950
Prepared and built the 1938 Maginnis & Walsh Neo-Colonial church, dedicated February 6, 1938 by Bishop James Cassidy.
- Fr. John Boyd1950–
Purchased a former restaurant and garage to provide parish activity space.
- Fr. John Cronin1970s
Renovated parish buildings, doing much of the work with his own hands.
- Fr. Armando Annunziato1974–
Succeeded Fr. Cronin as chaplain of St. Vincent Home and priest for the mission church of St. Bernard.
- Fr. Luciano Phillipino1977–
Named first pastor when Bishop Daniel Cronin elevated St. Bernard to parish status in 1977.
- Fr. Leonard Mullaney1978–
Second pastor; first resident pastor; purchased a house as temporary rectory.
- Fr. Edward Correia1988–
Oversaw construction of the smaller two-story addition blessed August 20, 1989 by Bishop Cronin.
- Fr. John Andrews1991–
Native of nearby Berkley; his first Mass as pastor was the Funeral Mass of his own father.
- Fr. Timothy Goldrick1994–2007
A direct descendant of William Chase, whose son Benjamin first settled the very land the church occupies in 1685.
- Fr. Michael S. Racine2007–2019
Oversaw steeple restoration after Hurricane Irene (2011) and the 2018 Harvest Festival; celebrated 1,050 baptisms, 606 first communions and 197 weddings.
- Fr. James Fitzpatrick2019–2021
Succeeded Fr. Racine.
- Fr. Gerard Hebert2021–present
Current pastor; installed August 2021.