About St. Bernard of Clairvaux · Riverdale Park, Maryland
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a Roman Catholic parish in Riverdale Park, Maryland, canonically established in 1948 after beginning as a mission of St. Jerome Parish in Hyattsville in the early 1940s. The parish is administered by the Scalabrinian Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo and serves a richly multicultural community of more than 1,000 families, with Masses offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Its campus also hosts Our Lady of Fatima Parish for Portuguese-speaking Catholics and includes outdoor shrines to Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Guadalupe, reflecting its identity as a welcoming home for immigrants and migrants in Prince George's County.
- Established
- 1948
- Patron
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- Rector
- Rev. Richard Gerard, C.S. (Scalabrinian — Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a young, multicultural parish where more than 1,000 families from Mexico, Central and South America, the Philippines, Vietnam, Portugal, and several African nations pray together under one roof. Daily Mass is offered in English, with a full Sunday schedule that includes four Spanish Masses, a Portuguese Mass for Our Lady of Fatima parishioners, and an English Mass, plus active faith-formation programs for the many children and young people of the community. Pilgrims and neighbors alike are welcomed to the two outdoor Marian shrines, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, and a Jubilee Year pilgrimage designation that invites everyone to 'come and make their devotions — no appointment needed.'
Mass times at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Friday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Walk-ins welcome at the rectory during the day — 'If people who visit during the day want Confession, they can come anytime and we will hear them.' (Fr. Gérard)
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Holy Hour)
- Friday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
About St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a Roman Catholic parish in Riverdale Park, Maryland, canonically established in 1948 and part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. It is administered by the Scalabrinian Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo (C.S.) and serves more than 1,000 families from many countries, with Masses in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The church building at 5700 Saint Bernard Drive is also home to Our Lady of Fatima Parish, the Portuguese-speaking community of the area.
- Type: Catholic Parish (Roman-Latin Rite)
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
- Canonically Established: 1948
- Current Church Building: 1961
- Mailing Address: 5700 Saint Bernard Drive, Riverdale Park, MD 20737
- Phone: (301) 277-1000
- Website: stbernardriverdale.org
Parish History
The parish began in the early 1940s as a mission of St. Jerome Parish in Hyattsville before being established on its own in 1948. The current church was built in 1961 to serve the growing Riverdale Park community. In the early 1990s, Spanish-speaking residents asked the parish to offer Spanish Masses, and the parish responded — opening its doors to a vibrant Hispanic Catholic community. The Portuguese-speaking mission of Our Lady of Fatima followed, growing from a 1993 mission into its own parish in 1999 and sharing the same building.
- Early 1940s — founded as a mission of St. Jerome Parish, Hyattsville
- 1948 — canonically established as St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish
- 1961 — present church building constructed
- Early 1990s — Spanish-language Masses introduced at the request of local residents
- 1993 — Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese) begins as a mission
- 1999 — Our Lady of Fatima canonically established as a parish
- August 17, 2023 — Cardinal Wilton Gregory celebrates the 75th anniversary Mass
- 2025 — designated a Jubilee Year pilgrimage church by the Archdiocese of Washington
A Scalabrinian Parish for Migrants
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is staffed by the Scalabrinian Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo (C.S.), a religious congregation founded by St. John Baptist Scalabrini to minister to migrants. Pastor Fr. Richard Gerard, C.S. has noted that 'the founder of our order worked with migrants just as we do today.' The parish welcomes Catholics from Mexico, Central and South America, the Philippines, Vietnam, Portugal, and several African nations, and celebrates major feasts important to Hispanic Catholics such as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Posadas, Three Kings' Day, and the Via Crucis.
- Administering order: Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo (Scalabrinians)
- Founder of order: St. John Baptist Scalabrini (served migrants)
- Cultural communities: Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, Vietnamese, Filipino, Ghanaian, and Portuguese-speaking parishioners
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Scalabrinian Administrator Rev. Richard Gerard, C.S., and served by two Scalabrinian parochial vicars, a permanent deacon, and lay staff who coordinate religious education, parish communications, and reception. The Scalabrinian community also staffs the adjacent Our Lady of Fatima Parish, sharing office and sacramental staff across both parishes.
- Administrator: Rev. Richard Gerard, C.S.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Mark Escobar, C.S.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Rivaldario Silva Santos, C.S.
- Deacon: Deacon Desmond Yorke
- Secretary: Guadalupe Valle-Vivar
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Ana Maria Corona
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs an active catechetical program for the many children and young people in the community, coordinated by Ana Maria Corona. Cardinal Wilton Gregory noted at the 75th anniversary Mass that he sees 'many committed young people, families and people of different nationalities sharing the same faith,' reflecting the strong youth and family ministry at St. Bernard's. Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation is provided through these parish programs.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Ana Maria Corona
- Catechetical programs for children and youth
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation)
- RCIA / OCIA for adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church
Marian Devotions & Shrines
The parish grounds feature two outdoor Marian shrines — one to Our Lady of Fatima and another to Our Lady of Guadalupe — that are open to the faithful for prayer and devotions at any time. Parishioners prepare altars in the gardens for these feasts, and the parish celebrates Hispanic Marian traditions including the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) and processions. Father Gérard has invited pilgrims and visitors to 'come here and make their prayers and their devotions — no appointment needed.'
- Outdoor Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
- Outdoor Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration
- Las Posadas and Three Kings' Day (Día de los Reyes)
- Via Crucis and other traditional devotions
- Blessing of religious items after every Mass
Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Portuguese Mission)
Sharing the St. Bernard of Clairvaux church building, Our Lady of Fatima Parish is the home parish for Portuguese-speaking Catholics in the Riverdale Park area. It began as a mission in 1993, was canonically established as a parish in 1999, and is also administered by the Scalabrinian priests. The parish's Sunday Portuguese Mass at 10:00 AM is celebrated alongside the English and Spanish Mass schedule.
- Mission began: 1993
- Canonically established: 1999
- Languages: Portuguese (with English and Spanish community support)
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM in Portuguese
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Manuela Montenegro
- Secretary: Gorety Dionicio
Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrimage Site
St. Bernard of Clairvaux was named one of 12 Jubilee Year pilgrimage churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington for 2025. Jubilee pilgrims are invited to participate in Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament every Thursday at 7:30 PM, to receive the Sacrament of Confession daily from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (and Fridays 5:00–7:00 PM), and to visit the two outdoor Marian shrines. The pastor has welcomed Jubilee visitors and all comers to experience 'a community that is beautiful and dynamic.'
- Designated Jubilee Year pilgrimage church for 2025
- Thursday 7:30 PM — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
- Daily 6:00–7:00 PM Confessions; Friday 5:00–7:00 PM
- Blessing of religious items available after every Mass
- Welcome extended to all pilgrims and visitors
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard Gerard, C.S.present (Administrator at least as of 2023–2025)
Scalabrinian missionary who led the parish's 75th anniversary Mass with Cardinal Gregory in August 2023 and continues to serve as Administrator.