About St. Bernard of Clairvaux · Dallas, Texas
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic parish in the east Dallas neighborhood between White Rock Lake and the Casa Linda Shopping Center, part of the Diocese of Dallas. The parish was founded in 1947 by Rev. John M. Wiewell around a relocated Army chapel and grew rapidly alongside its parish school, which opened in 1948. Today it is staffed by priests of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) and serves a large, diverse community with five Sunday Masses (including an ASL-signed Spanish Mass), a PK3–8th-grade Catholic school, an Adoration Chapel, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, and youth and young-adult groups called Voces Verbi.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- Rector
- Father Luis Prado, IVE
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas (Bishop Edward J. Burns)
Why belong here
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a bilingual English/Spanish parish with a strong daily liturgical life — five Sunday Masses, a daily Mass schedule, a Perpetual Adoration Chapel open Monday through Friday, and confession before every weekend Mass — making it easy to live the Eucharist at the center of one's week. It also pairs a long-standing Catholic school (PK3–8th grade) with vibrant family and youth programs, including the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, the Voces Verbi youth (ages 14–18) and young-adult (ages 18–35) groups, a Summer Oratory, and a Cenáculo de la Divina Misericordia prayer group. Add in the artistic treasure of Octavio Medellin's Stations of the Cross mosaics and a 75-plus-year east Dallas community, and it offers newcomers a parish where they can pray, form their children, and serve in both English and Spanish.
Mass times at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (English/Spanish)
- During the Saturday 8:00 AM Mass
- During all Saturday evening Masses (5:00 PM English and 7:00 PM Spanish Vigil)
- During all Sunday Masses
Adoration times
- Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, in the Adoration Chapel
- First Fridays — Adoration in the Church from 8:00 PM until Saturday 6:00 AM
Parish History
St. Bernard of Clairvaux was founded in 1947 by Rev. John M. Wiewell when an Army chapel was moved to a nearly three-acre site on Old Gate Lane between White Rock Lake and the Casa Linda Shopping Center; the move, brick veneer, steeple and furnishings cost $30,000 and were paid off by the June 8, 1947 dedication. Within fifteen months, in September 1948, the parish school opened with three Sisters Servants of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate and 115 students in six grades. The rectory followed in 1951, a convent (today St. Joseph Hall) and a second-story school with cafeteria-auditorium soon after, and the present church building was begun in September 1957.
The 1958 Octavio Medellin Stations of the Cross Mosaics
When the present church was built starting in 1957, the parish commissioned the Texas artist Octavio Medellin — then three decades into pioneering art in Texas — to create two large murals on opposite sides of the church interior depicting the fourteen Stations of the Cross. Medellin, working with artist Michael Kozlowski (assisted by Clara Miller and Herbert Hughes), began preliminary designs in the summer of 1957 and spent eight months hand-cutting the smalti, specialized glass tesserae designed to specification and imported from Murano, Italy. Each mural measures 87 feet in length and 5 feet in height — a commission Medellin later called 'the largest and most important commission given to me in the 30 years that I have been pioneering art in Texas.'
- Artist: Octavio Medellin (with Michael Kozlowski)
- Collaborators/assistants: Clara Miller, Herbert Hughes
- Medium: hand-cut smalti (glass tesserae) from Murano, Italy
- Each mural: 87 feet long × 5 feet high, on opposite walls
- Subject: the fourteen Stations of the Cross
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is staffed by priests of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), a Sister of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará (SSVM), and lay staff in faith formation, music, business, parish secretariat, facilities, and safe environment. The parish council structure includes a Finance Council chaired by the pastor with lay officers and council members, and a Pastoral Council with an ambassador.
- Pastor: Fr. Luis Prado, IVE
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Andy Kmetz, IVE
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Miguel Castro, IVE
- Deacon Kevin Bartholomew
- Sister Ephesus, SSVM
- Director of Faith Formation: Paola Mendez
- Business Operations Manager: Nelly Zuniga
- Parish Secretary: Silvia Morales
- Assistant Receptionist: Jolly Hormillosa
- Safe Environment Coordinator / Bookkeeper: Anita St. Clair
- Facilities Manager: Jesus Soto
- Director of Music and other staff (Carolina Imperial, Yasmin Hernandez)
- Finance Council Chair: Fr. Luis Prado, IVE; Chairman: Mark Vasquez; Vice-Chairman: David Rubio; Secretary: Joe Weich; Council Member: Deacon Kevin Bartholomew; Council Member: Tom Fougerousse
St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic School
The parish school — opened by Fr. Wiewell in September 1948 with three Sisters Servants of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate and 115 students in six grades — today serves students in PK3 through 8th grade on a campus just behind the church. The school has been designated an A+ school by Niche and describes itself as a 'faith-filled nurturing environment … conducive to teaching the whole-child,' with small class sizes, STEM/Robotics/Coding/Makerspace offerings, Service Learning, and an emphasis on Christian values. School tours can be scheduled through Admissions Coordinator Guille Luna ([email protected], 214-321-2897).
- Grades: PK3 – 8th
- Designated A+ by Niche (national school search organization)
- Programs: STEM, Robotics, Coding, Makerspace
- Service Learning component
- Phone: 214-321-2897
- Admissions: Guille Luna, [email protected]
- Website: https://stbernardccs.org/
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Bernard of Clairvaux is led by Director of Faith Formation Paola Mendez and includes the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — an approach grounded in Sacred Scripture, Catholic Doctrine, Liturgy, and Prayer that develops each child's capacity to love and be loved and to be in a deep relationship with God. The parish also subscribes to FORMED, giving parishioners access to over 4,000 Catholic videos, e-books, talks, and study programs in both English and Spanish; families can sign up at formed.org under St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1423 San Saba Dr., Dallas, TX).
- Director of Faith Formation: Paola Mendez
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — registration by year
- FORMED parish subscription — 4,000+ Catholic videos/e-books in English and Spanish
Youth & Young Adult Ministry — Voces Verbi
Voces Verbi is the parish's bilingual youth and young-adult ministry. The Youth Group meets every Friday at 7:00 PM for ages 14–18, and the Young Adults Group meets every Tuesday at 7:00 PM in the Grand Salon for ages 18–35.
- Youth Group — Voces Verbi (ages 14–18): every Friday 7:00 PM
- Young Adults Group — Voces Verbi (ages 18–35): every Tuesday 7:00 PM, Grand Salon
Devotions & Prayer Groups
Beyond the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, the parish supports a Cenáculo de la Divina Misericordia (Divine Mercy Cenacle), a First Friday overnight vigil of adoration from 8:00 PM Friday to 6:00 AM Saturday in the church, and parish-wide communication through Flocknote (email and text message updates).
- Cenáculo de la Divina Misericordia (Divine Mercy Cenacle)
- First Friday overnight Adoration (8:00 PM Fri – 6:00 AM Sat, in the church)
- Flocknote email/text updates for parish events
Sacraments at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
The parish makes the Eucharist the center of community life, offers Confession every Saturday and during weekend Masses, supports Baptism and Confirmation preparation (with parish photo archives going back to the 1958 Confirmation class), and handles Marriage and Anointing of the Sick through the parish office. First Communion and Confirmation are coordinated through Faith Formation and the school.
- Eucharist — see Mass Schedule
- Confession — Saturday 4–5 PM and during weekend Masses
- Baptism — by arrangement through the parish office
- Confirmation & First Communion — through Faith Formation / CGS / school
- Marriage — preparation through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
Parish Governance & Finance
The Parish Finance Council works with the pastor to implement parish priorities from a financial perspective and meets monthly at 7:00 PM in the Reception Room. A Pastoral Council, with an Ambassador (Janell Miank) linking it to the finance council, also serves the parish.
- Finance Council monthly meeting: 7:00 PM, Reception Room
- Pastor/Chairman: Fr. Luis Prado, IVE
- Chairman: Mark Vasquez
- Vice-Chairman: David Rubio
- Secretary: Joe Weich
- Council Members: Deacon Kevin Bartholomew, Tom Fougerousse
- Pastoral Council Ambassador: Janell Miank
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John M. Wiewell1947–1968
Founding pastor; organized the move of the Army chapel to Old Gate Lane, paid it off by dedication day June 8, 1947, and opened St. Bernard School in September 1948.
- Msgr. Joseph P. Erbrick1968–1972
Second pastor; oversaw establishment of the first Parish Council.
- Msgr. James Tucek1972–1973
Third pastor; began his tenure in the parish's 25th Anniversary year (1972).
- Msgr. Richard E. Johnson1973–
Fourth pastor; the St. Bernard Kindergarten began its first year and the School Board was founded under his leadership.