About St. Bernard · Breda, Iowa
St. Bernard Catholic Church is a historic parish in Breda, Iowa, established in 1879 and now part of Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, a multi-site Catholic community serving western Carroll County. Its current church building, with its towering steeple, was constructed in 1888, enlarged in 1915, and later restored with new insulation, stucco exterior, and renovated stained-glass windows. The parish is one of the oldest in Carroll County and remains an active worship site with weekend and weekday Masses, confessions, and the St. Bernard Cemetery on Granite Avenue.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- Rector
- Rev. Terry A. Roder
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
St. Bernard offers a small-town Catholic community anchored by one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Carroll County, with daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, and first-Friday Eucharistic Adoration. As part of Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, worshipers have access to Mass across six clustered churches serving western Carroll County, plus a parish-managed cemetery on Granite Avenue in Breda. It is a welcoming place for those seeking traditional liturgy, historic architecture, and a tight-knit rural Iowa faith family.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:15 PM (prior to Mass at St. Bernard, Breda)
Adoration times
- 1st Friday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM at St. Bernard, Breda
Parish History
St. Bernard Parish was established in 1879 in Breda, Iowa, and is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in Carroll County. The present church building's cornerstone was laid on June 17, 1888, with construction costs of $15,000; it was enlarged in 1915 to its current size at an additional cost of $13,000. The towering steeple remains a defining landmark of the Breda skyline.
- Founded 1879
- Church cornerstone laid June 17, 1888
- Enlarged 1915
Building & Architecture
The church features large stained-glass windows, cathedral arches throughout, and an immense sanctuary. In 1999, the exterior was insulated and covered with stucco to preserve the historic structure; the intricately detailed stained-glass windows were restored and fitted with protective glass, and the interior was later updated while retaining the ornate artistry of the original features.
- Large stained-glass windows
- Cathedral arches throughout
- Immense sanctuary
- 1999 exterior restoration and stucco covering
- Stained-glass window restoration with protective glass
Good Shepherd Catholic Parish
St. Bernard is one of six worship sites that make up Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, a clustered Catholic parish serving western Carroll County. The other sites are St. John the Baptist in Arcadia, Sacred Heart in Templeton, St. Augustine in Halbur, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mount Carmel, and Holy Angels in Roselle.
- St. Bernard – Breda
- St. John the Baptist – Arcadia
- Sacred Heart – Templeton
- St. Augustine – Halbur
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Mount Carmel
- Holy Angels – Roselle
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Terry A. Roder, Pastor, who resides at the Breda rectory. Administrative and bookkeeping support is provided by Cindy Lawler (bookkeeper/administrative assistant) at the Good Shepherd parish office, Joni Langel (parish office), and Julie Eich (part-time administrative assistant for the Arcadia site).
- Rev. Terry A. Roder – Pastor (residing at St. Bernard, Breda)
- Cindy Lawler – Bookkeeper / Administrative Assistant
- Joni Langel – Administrative Assistant / Bookkeeper (Breda)
- Julie Eich – Part-Time Administrative Assistant (Arcadia)
St. Bernard Cemetery
The parish manages St. Bernard Cemetery, located on the east edge of Breda on Granite Avenue. Inquiries about purchasing a plot or locating gravesites can be directed to Scott Masching at 712-210-1044 or Cindy Masching at 712-830-5590.
- Location: east edge of Breda, on Granite Avenue
- Scott Masching – 712-210-1044
- Cindy Masching – 712-830-5590
Parish Governance & Finance
Good Shepherd Catholic Parish is governed with lay directors and a finance council that includes a representative from each worship site. The St. Bernard representative serves on the Parish Finance Council.
- Joe Behrens – Chairman, Finance Council (Sacred Heart representative)
- Becky Vonnahme – Lay Director
- Kassie Wernimont – Lay Director
- Parish Finance Council – St. Bernard representative
Visit & Contact
Parish office hours are Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The pastor can be reached at the Breda rectory, and the main parish phone line connects to the Good Shepherd office.
- Address: 206 N 2nd Street, PO Box 39, Breda, IA 51436-0039
- Parish Office: 712-673-2582
- Breda Rectory: 712-673-2351
- Office Hours: Tues & Fri, 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM