St. Bernard of Clairvaux

About St. Bernard of Clairvaux

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church is located in northeast Scottsdale, Arizona, nestled in the base of the McDowell Mountains. Founded on July 1, 1994 by Rev. John J. Vogt, the parish serves over 1,250 families. The Church and Administrative Center were built in 1998, and a new Parish Event Center was completed in 2011, providing space for a parish hall, music rehearsal room, teen center, coffee shop, elementary faith formation classrooms, and ministry meeting rooms. St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, which was established by Pope Paul VI on December 2, 1969 and covers 43,967 square miles across central and northern Arizona.

Parish History

The inaugural Mass was celebrated on August 7, 1994 at Mountainside Middle School (East Via Linda and 128th Street) under founding pastor Rev. John Vogt. On July 2, 1995, Bishop Thomas O'Brien appointed Rev. Robert John Voss as the parish's second pastor. The first Mass in the new permanent church was celebrated on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 1999, and the church was officially dedicated by Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien on March 21, 1999. In 2011 a Parish Event Center expanded the campus, and on June 13, 2021 Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted broke ground on a new on-site rectory under the 'Centered in Christ' Initiative, which also replaced the church's 23-year-old roof and air-conditioning unit. The rectory was completed in mid-2022.

• 1994 — Parish founded (July 1); inaugural Mass August 7 at Mountainside Middle School
• 1995 — Rev. Robert John Voss appointed second pastor (July 2)
• 1999 — First Mass in new church on Ash Wednesday (Feb 17); church dedicated by Bishop O'Brien (March 21)
• 2011 — Parish Event Center completed (hall, music room, teen center, classrooms)
• 2021 — 'Centered in Christ' groundbreaking for new rectory (June 13)
• 2022 — New on-site rectory completed (mid-2022)

Clergy, Staff & Parish Council

The parish is served by a pastor and a parochial vicar, supported by a large lay staff and a Parish (Pastoral) Council. As of the parish's published staff page and most recent bulletins, the team includes a Director of Liturgy/Music, a Director of Parish Business, a Pastoral Assistant, IT/Communications, faith formation and youth ministry coordinators, and a Deacon.

• Rev. Fredrick J. Adamson — Pastor
• Rev. Ryan Lee — Parochial Vicar
• Deacon Phil LoCascio
• Nancy Boettcher — Pastoral Assistant (x300)
• Kent Campbell — Director of Liturgy/Music (x311)
• Mike Huesman — Director of Parish Business (x302)
• Shannon Hards — Parish IT Communications (x310)
• Mary Harty-Hill — Administrative Assistant (x301)
• Steve Cassar — Facilities Supervisor (after-hours 480-309-9443)
• Mary Stevens — Parish Life Coordinator (x315)
• Kathie Stine — Liturgy Coordinator / Children's Catechesis Coordinator (x314)
• Phil LoCascio — Deacon
• Ryan Ayala — Director, Family Life & Marriage (x309) / OCIA
• Ashley Kaschl — LifeTeen & Edge (x316)
• Parish Council President — Bob Gomez (480-695-3229, [email protected])

Liturgical Ministries

A team of lay liturgical ministers serves at every Mass. All volunteers must complete Safe Environment Training with the Diocese of Phoenix before serving. Music Ministry at St. Bernard's is organized to lead the congregation at Mass and to develop young singers through the Pueri Cantores program.

• Altar Servers — training after 1st Communion; contact Kathie Stine (x314, [email protected])
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — John Zikias, 602-315-9139
• Lectors (Ministry of the Word) — Dr. Richard Rutkowski, 480-836-0568
• Hospitality — Paul & Gina Wise, 480-661-7767
• Altar Society — Dolores Lonergan, 480-837-3668
• Funeral Hospitality — Ellen Florea, 480-816-3551

Faith Formation & Youth Ministry

Religious education for children and youth is centered in the Parish Event Center classrooms. Children's Catechesis prepares children for First Communion; Edge ministers to middle-schoolers (grades 6–8); LifeTeen carries high schoolers through their teens; and the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) walks adults into the Catholic Church. Family Life & Marriage programs round out parish support for households.

• Children's Catechesis — Kathie Stine, 480-661-9843 x314, [email protected]
• Edge (grades 6–8) — Parish Office, x316
• LifeTeen (high school) — Parish Office, x316
• OCIA / Becoming Catholic — Ryan Ayala, 480-661-9843
• Family Life & Marriage — Ryan Ayala, x309
• Young Adult Ministry — Erika Yadron ([email protected])

Outreach, Charity & Parish Life

St. Bernard's runs an unusually broad set of parish-life and outreach ministries. The St. Vincent de Paul conference operates an on-call line for neighbors in need; Walking with Moms in Need accompanies pregnant and new mothers; the Sanctity of Life Committee and Our Lady of Guadalupe Ministry keep a particular focus on the dignity of life and Hispanic community life. Men's and women's groups, plus the parish's own Annual Catholic Appeal effort, knit parishioners together across ages.

• St. Vincent de Paul — on-call cell 480-332-8742
• Walking with Moms in Need — Jill McCabe, 602-705-7806
• Ministry of Care (visiting the sick/homebound) — Mary Harty-Hill, 602-370-9104
• Sanctity of Life Committee — Shirley Towers, 480-661-9843
• Knights of Columbus Council 12313 — Mike Stevens, 602-692-2538, [email protected]
• That Man Is You — Kent Campbell, 480-540-8850
• Renewal (Men) — Dan Fruehe, 951-428-0616
• Mothers and Others — Sandy Fruehe, 847-275-2545
• Women's Spirituality — Valerie DiCaudo, 480-816-3901
• Women of Joy — Marel Brady, 956-407-2817
• Stewardship/Development — Mike Huesman, 480-661-9843 x302
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Ministry — Alma De Doldan, [email protected]
• Altar Society, Funeral Hospitality, Hospitality (coffee/donuts) — see Liturgical Ministries above

Sacraments

The parish accompanies parishioners through every sacramental moment — Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick — and welcomes adults seeking to become Catholic through OCIA. Initial inquiries go through the Parish Office at 480-661-9843.

• Adult Confirmation — contact Parish Office (480-661-9843)
• Baptism — Nancy Boettcher, [email protected]
• Becoming Catholic / OCIA — Ryan Ayala, 480-661-9843
• Marriage Preparation — begin with Parish Office, 480-661-9843
• First Communion / Children's Catechesis — Kathie Stine, x314
• Anointing of the Sick / Ministry of Care — Mary Harty-Hill, 602-370-9104
• Funeral Liturgy / Hospitality — Ellen Florea, 480-816-3551

Parish Campus & 'Centered in Christ' Initiative

The St. Bernard of Clairvaux campus on North 124th Street includes the dedicated 1998 Church and Administrative Center, the 2011 Parish Event Center (parish hall, music rehearsal room, teen center, coffee shop, elementary faith formation classrooms, and ministry meeting space), and a newly completed rectory. The 'Centered in Christ' Initiative — the final piece of the campus — also replaced the 23-year-old church roof and installed a high-efficiency air-conditioning unit, and bolstered the parish endowment to offset future facilities costs.

• Address: 10755 N. 124th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85259
• 1998 — Church and Administrative Center built and dedicated (March 21, 1999)
• 2011 — Parish Event Center completed
• 2021 (June 13) — 'Centered in Christ' groundbreaking with Bishop Olmsted and Mayor David D. Ortega
• 2022 — Rectory completed (mid-year)
• Parish partnered with Catholic Community Foundation on the Initiative

Diocese of Phoenix (Context)

St. Bernard of Clairvaux is one of more than 80 parishes and missions in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. The diocese was established by Pope Paul VI on December 2, 1969 and currently comprises 43,967 square miles, including Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, and Coconino counties (excluding the territorial boundaries of the Navajo Indian Reservation), and the Gila River Indian Reservation in Pinal County. The diocese is led by Bishop John P. Dolan and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares.

Contact & Visit

Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person during posted hours. The church and chapel close in the evenings (Mon–Thu 4:00 pm, Fri 2:00 pm, Sat 6:00 pm, Sun 1:00 pm).

• Address: 10755 N. 124th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85259
• Phone: (480) 661-9843
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Website: http://stboc.org/
• Parish Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 am–4:00 pm; Fri 9:00 am–12:00 pm