About St. Bernard Church (St. Jeanne Jugan Parish) · Enfield, Connecticut
St. Bernard Church is one of the historic worship sites of St. Jeanne Jugan Parish in Enfield, Connecticut, a multi-campus Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Hartford that consolidates all of the town's former parishes under the patronage of St. Jeanne Jugan, the Little Sisters of the Poor foundress. Located at 426 Hazard Avenue, the stone church with its prominent steeple is a visible landmark in the community, hosting the parish's Faith Formation program, Confirmation preparation, Reconciliation and First Communion sacraments with St. Bernard Catholic School, the Prayer Shawl Ministry's monthly meetings, and Sunday and weekday Masses. As part of St. Jeanne Jugan Parish — formed through the 2017 merger of Holy Family and St. Bernard and the 2022 addition of St. Martha and St. Raymond of Peñafort (St. Patrick / St. Adalbert) — it now serves as the only Catholic parish in Enfield, with five church campuses and two parish schools.
- Patron
- St. Bernard (the church's namesake); the townwide parish is dedicated to St. Jeanne Jugan
- Rector
- Rev. John S. Golas
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Hartford
Why belong here
St. Jeanne Jugan Parish — through its St. Bernard campus — offers a full rhythm of Catholic life: weekday and Sunday Mass, regular confession, weekday adoration, Confirmation and Faith Formation programs held at St. Bernard Church, a Catholic school (St. Bernard Catholic School) with preschool (Little Angels), and an active lay apostolate of ministries like the Prayer Shawl Ministry that reaches into Enfield's nursing homes and beyond. As the only Catholic parish in Enfield, it gathers five historic church communities into one family while continuing the legacy of hospitality and service that has marked St. Bernard's for over a century.
Mass times at St. Bernard Church (St. Jeanne Jugan Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (St. Martha Church)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (St. Patrick Church)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM (Holy Family Church)
- By appointment by calling the parish office
Adoration times
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM (St. Martha Church)
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM (St. Martha Church)
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM (St. Patrick Church)
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM (St. Martha Church)
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (Holy Family Church)
History of St. Bernard Church
St. Bernard's roots go back to the late 1800s, when a small group of Catholic settlers — many of them recent immigrants — built a modest chapel on the land at what would become Hazard Avenue, furnishing it with homemade wooden pews and a simple altar. As the congregation grew, the original chapel was replaced in the early 1900s with the larger, permanent stone church that still stands, its tall steeple and stone walls making it a visible landmark that 'has watched the town grow for over a century.' Over more than 100 years the parish has weathered the Great Depression, two world wars, and steady community growth, all of which have become part of the church's living story.
- Late 1800s: Catholic settlers build an early chapel on the present site.
- Early 1900s: original chapel replaced by a larger, permanent stone structure.
- June 2017: merged with Holy Family Church to form St. Jeanne Jugan Parish under Fr. John Golas.
- November 22, 2022: St. Martha and the parishes of St. Raymond of Peñafort (St. Patrick & St. Adalbert) join, making St. Jeanne Jugan Parish the only Catholic parish in Enfield.
Mass & Worship
At the St. Bernard campus the schedule is intentionally simple: two Sunday Masses and a Monday–Wednesday weekday Mass, with weekend confessions handled at the parish's other campuses (St. Martha, St. Patrick, Holy Family) before Saturday Vigil Masses. Adoration is offered across the parish on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, primarily at St. Martha and Holy Family, and the full Sacramental schedule (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing, First Communion, Confirmation) is coordinated through the parish office.
- Sunday Mass: 7:30 AM (English) and 11:00 AM (English) at St. Bernard Church.
- Weekday Mass: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 9:00 AM; Friday 9:00 AM at St. Bernard.
- Spanish Mass: celebrated at St. Martha by Fr. Robert Villa each weekend.
- Confessions: Saturdays at St. Martha (2:30–3:30 PM), St. Patrick (3:00–3:30 PM), Holy Family (3:30–4:00 PM), and by appointment.
- Adoration: Mondays & Wednesdays 9:00 AM–10:00 PM at St. Martha; Fridays at St. Patrick (8:30–9:00 AM), St. Martha (9:00 AM–10:00 PM), and Holy Family (9:30–10:30 AM).
St. Bernard Catholic School & Little Angels Preschool
Two parish schools operate under the umbrella of St. Jeanne Jugan Parish: St. Bernard Catholic School (K–8) and Little Angels Catholic Preschool. Both are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and exist 'to reflect, celebrate, and share the message of Christ,' combining academic rigor with spiritual formation and a 11:1 student-to-teacher ratio. They sit on the St. Bernard campus and continue as ministries of the larger parish.
- St. Bernard Catholic School (Charlene Mongillo, Principal).
- Little Angels Catholic Preschool — first school-experience program; safe, nurturing, faith-based.
- Second graders at SBS receive First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion with their class through St. Jeanne Jugan Parish.
- Extracurriculars include sports, drama, choir, band, crafts, scouting, and robotics.
Faith Formation & Confirmation
Faith Formation and the parish's Confirmation program are hosted at St. Bernard Church. Confirmation preparation is held on Sunday evenings, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, generally every other week throughout the school year. Under the Archdiocese of Hartford's new cycle, candidates begin preparation in the 2026–2027 academic year as 8th and 9th graders and will be confirmed in 2027. Registration and requirements are handled through Confirmation Assistant Nicole (Karen) Zeni at [email protected] or (860) 962-4001 ext. 119.
- Confirmation prep: Sundays 6:00–8:00 PM at St. Bernard Church (every other week).
- Contact: [email protected], (860) 962-4001 ext. 119.
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion prepared with St. Bernard Catholic School second graders.
Parish Ministries
Lay life at St. Jeanne Jugan Parish is organized through the Worship & Parish Life Council, which brings representatives of every ministry together on the third Monday of each month with the Pastor and the Worship & Parish Life Coordinator (Sue Cotter, [email protected]). Individual ministries — such as the Prayer Shawl Ministry and the Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — operate under this umbrella, serving both the parish and the wider Enfield community.
- Worship & Parish Life Council — meets 3rd Monday of the month.
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — assist at Mass and bring Communion to the homebound.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — 1st Monday, 1:00–3:00 PM, October–June, Good Shepherd Meeting Room at St. Bernard Church.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl Ministry provides 'a physical reminder that you are loved — like a hug from God' to those most in need of hope, comfort, and healing. New members are always welcome; the only requirement is a willing pair of hands and a heart for prayer. Each shawl is begun with prayers and blessings and given a final blessing by Father Golas upon completion.
- Meets 1st Monday, October–June, 1:00–3:00 PM, Good Shepherd Meeting Room, St. Bernard Church.
- Shawls and pocket prayer cloths available in marked boxes at the back of St. Bernard and Holy Family.
- Outreach: Bereavement Ministry, Parkway / St. Joseph's / Evergreen nursing homes in Enfield, Clearway in Springfield MA, and Felician Sisters' missions in Appalachia and South Carolina.
- Materials donated by members, with occasional gifts from recipients' families and the Women's Guild.
Staff, Clergy & Parish Office
The parish is led by Rev. John S. Golas as pastor, with Rev. Mathew Kappalumakkel and Rev. C. Kelechi Anyanwu serving as parochial vicars. Rev. Robert Villa works full-time in prison ministry while assisting with the Extraordinary Form and Spanish Mass at St. Martha, and Rev. Anthony Bruno continues in assisting capacity on Senior Status. Three permanent deacons — James J. Marco, Vincent Motto, and Paul Robert — complete the clergy team. Worship and parish life is coordinated by Sue Cotter; Faith Formation and Confirmation inquiries go through the parish office at (860) 962-4001.
- Pastor: Rev. John S. Golas
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Mathew Kappalumakkel; Rev. C. Kelechi Anyanwu (Prison Ministry)
- Assisting: Rev. Robert Villa (Extraordinary Form, Spanish Mass, CT prisons); Rev. Anthony Bruno (Senior Status)
- Deacons: James J. Marco, Vincent Motto, Paul Robert
- Worship & Parish Life Coordinator: Sue Cotter ([email protected])
- Confirmation Assistant: Nicole (Karen) Zeni — [email protected], ext. 119
Parish Campuses & Locations
St. Jeanne Jugan Parish operates from five church campuses across Enfield, all sharing the single parish phone number (860) 962-4001, with the parish office at 426 Hazard Avenue. St. Adalbert Church is not used for regular Masses; it is reserved for weddings and funerals once it can be reopened.
- St. Bernard Church — 426 Hazard Ave, Enfield, CT 06082
- St. Patrick Church — 64 Pearl Street, Enfield, CT 06082
- St. Martha Church — 23 Simon Road, Enfield, CT 06082
- Holy Family Church — 214 Brainard Road, Enfield, CT 06082 (separate phone: 860-745-5616)
- St. Adalbert Church — weddings and funerals only when reopened
Getting Involved
Parishioners are invited to take part in the life of the parish in many ways: joining the Worship & Parish Life Council (third Mondays), serving as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, knitting or crocheting shawls in the Prayer Shawl Ministry, sending children to St. Bernard Catholic School or Little Angels Preschool, or enrolling youth in Confirmation and Faith Formation at St. Bernard Church. To begin, contact the parish office at (860) 962-4001 or visit sjjenfield.org.
- Lay ministries: Worship & Parish Life Council, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.
- Service & craft: Prayer Shawl Ministry (1st Mondays at St. Bernard).
- Faith Formation for children and Confirmation for teens.
- Enroll in parish schools: St. Bernard Catholic School and Little Angels Catholic Preschool.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John S. Golas2017–present
Appointed pastor of St. Jeanne Jugan Parish when Holy Family and St. Bernard merged in June 2017; remains pastor through the 2022 expansion.