About St. Bernard · Peoria, Illinois
St. Bernard Church was a Roman Catholic parish in Peoria's East Bluff neighborhood, founded in 1903 as part of the Diocese of Peoria. The red-brick, Romanesque-style church seated 600 and anchored East Bluff Catholic life for more than a century, including a school, rectory, Legion of Mary praesidium, mothers' and men's clubs, and an active sacramental life. After years of declining attendance — averaging only about 41 Massgoers by May 2023 — Bishop Louis Tylka's 'Growing Disciples' reorganization merged the parish into the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, and the last Mass was celebrated on August 25, 2024. The Diocese of Peoria subsequently sold the church and former school building to Centerpoint Community Church in early 2026.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- St. Bernard (of Clairvaux)
- Rector
- Fr. William Miller (Pastor of Sacred Heart & St. Bernard; Rector of Cathedral, per Heart of Peoria Catholic Community website; parish now merged)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
For more than a century, St. Bernard was a welcoming East Bluff parish rooted in the Romanesque tradition, with a school, Legion of Mary praesidium, mothers' and men's clubs, and a faithful sacramental life. Today, former St. Bernard parishioners are welcomed into the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception as part of the Heart of Peoria Catholic Community, where weekend and daily Mass, confession, and adoration continue to be offered across the merged parish family.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:00 AM and by appointment
History of St. Bernard Church
St. Bernard was founded in the heart of Peoria's East Bluff at the turn of the 20th century and grew into a full-fledged Catholic community with a church, rectory, and parish school. Key milestones and renovations shaped the parish over more than a century before its closure in 2024.
- January 4, 1902 — Construction begins on a Romanesque-design church seating 600 in the East Bluff.
- September 27, 1903 — The red-brick church at Kansas Street and New York Avenue is dedicated as St. Bernard.
- January 3, 1904 — One-ton St. Louis–manufactured church bell is dedicated by Bishop Peter J. O'Reilly.
- 1906 — The present rectory is constructed.
- September 23, 1909 — Bishop Dunne confirms the first class.
- September 3, 1911 — New parish school (capacity 600 students) is dedicated.
- 1927 — Mothers' Club organized.
- 1930 — Men's Club established.
- 1956 — Legion of Mary formed.
- 1961 — Painting and remodeling of the church.
- 1972–1973 — Extensive renovations, updates, painting and new carpeting in the church and sanctuary.
- 1977 — Gym renovation.
- 2002 — Church restored by R. Pallardy in preparation for the parish centennial.
- August 25, 2024 — Final Mass celebrated at St. Bernard before merging with the Cathedral of St. Mary.
Architecture and Building
St. Bernard was an iconic Romanesque-style, red-brick church built in 1903 with seating for 600. The building's signature features included its Romanesque arches and a one-ton bell cast in St. Louis, both of which gave the church a distinctive presence on Peoria's East Bluff.
- Romanesque architectural style
- Red-brick exterior at Kansas Street and New York Avenue
- One-ton St. Louis–manufactured bell (dedicated 1904)
- Rectory built in 1906
- Restored in 2002 by R. Pallardy for the centennial
Parish Ministries and Organizations
Over the decades, St. Bernard was sustained by a network of lay organizations that supported the parish's spiritual, educational, and social life. These groups formed the backbone of East Bluff Catholic community from the 1920s onward.
- Parish School — opened 1911, capacity 600 students
- Mothers' Club — organized 1927
- Men's Club — established 1930
- Legion of Mary — formed 1956
Heart of Peoria Catholic Community
St. Bernard's pastoral care is now provided through the Heart of Peoria Catholic Community, a merged group of Peoria parishes served by Fr. William Miller (Pastor of Sacred Heart & St. Bernard; Rector of Cathedral) along with Fr. Luke Spannagel as Parochial Vicar. Bishop Lou Tylka leads the Diocese of Peoria.
- Fr. William Miller — Pastor of Sacred Heart & St. Bernard; Rector of Cathedral
- Fr. Luke Spannagel — Parochial Vicar
- Bishop Lou Tylka — Bishop of Peoria
Diocese of Peoria and 'Growing Disciples'
St. Bernard belonged to the Diocese of Peoria, which covers roughly 17,000 square miles across 26 Illinois counties. In May 2024 Bishop Louis Tylka announced 'Growing Disciples,' a sweeping reorganization reducing 156 parishes to 75 in response to falling Mass attendance (down nearly 50% over the past decade) and a projected drop in active priests from 145 to fewer than 100 within ten years. Under this plan, St. Bernard was merged into the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception.
- Diocese covers 17,000 square miles across 26 Illinois counties
- Reorganization: 156 parishes consolidated to 75
- Mass attendance down nearly 50% over a decade
- Active priest count projected to fall below 100 within 10 years
- St. Bernard merged into Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Contact and Location
St. Bernard's physical address was 509 E. Kansas St., Peoria, IL 61603, in the East Bluff neighborhood. The mailing address used by the Heart of Peoria Catholic Community was 504 Fulton, Peoria, IL 61602.
- Address: 509 E. Kansas St., Peoria, IL 61603
- Mailing: 504 Fulton, Peoria, IL 61602
- Phone: (309) 309) 682-1221
- Website: https://www.catholicpeoria.org/st-bernard
Closure and Sale of the Building
After the final Mass on August 25, 2024, the former St. Bernard property was sold by the Diocese of Peoria to Centerpoint Community Church in January 2026. Centerpoint planned to use the church and former school (which houses the East Bluff Community Center) as a community hub for the East Bluff neighborhood, holding its first service in the building on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026.
- Final Mass: August 25, 2024
- Property sold to Centerpoint Community Church: January 2026
- Former school building houses East Bluff Community Center
- Centerpoint's first service in the building: Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026