About St. Bernard · Stewartville, Minnesota
St. Bernard Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester located at 116 4th Ave SE in Stewartville, Minnesota. The parish shares its pastor and offices with the nearby St. Bridget Catholic Church in Simpson, and the two parishes operate together under the website sbsbparishes.org. St. Bernard offers weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, daily Mass Wednesday through Friday, and Saturday confession, alongside an active religious education program, Vacation Bible School, the diocesan newsletter The Courier, and access to the FORMED Catholic media platform. The parish is rooted in 19th-century Irish Catholic settlement of the Stewartville area and continues a tradition of outreach to Dorothy Day House, Channel One, Meals on Wheels, Interfaith Hospitality Network, and the Missionaries of Charity in the Twin Cities.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- St. Bernard (of Clairvaux / of Menthon, common patron of parish by this name)
- Rector
- Father Kevin Connolly
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona–Rochester
Why belong here
St. Bernard's is a welcoming small-town parish with deep roots in the Irish Catholic settlement of Stewartville, offering multiple weekend and weekday Masses, Saturday confession, and a religious education office for parish families. Parishioners enjoy access to the FORMED Catholic media library, Vacation Bible School for children, The Courier diocesan newsletter, and a variety of liturgical ministries. The community lives out its faith through outreach to Dorothy Day House, Channel One, Meals on Wheels, the Interfaith Hospitality Network, and the Missionaries of Charity in the Twin Cities.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:30 PM (and 4:00–4:50 PM per third-party listings)
About St. Bernard Catholic Church
St. Bernard Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester serving the community of Stewartville, Minnesota. The parish shares its pastor and offices with nearby St. Bridget Catholic Church in Simpson, and the two parishes operate together under the joint website sbsbparishes.org. The mailing address and office are at 116 4th Ave SE in Stewartville.
- 116 4th Ave SE, Stewartville, MN 55976
- Phone: (507) 533-8257
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sbsbparishes.org/
History of St. Bernard's
Catholic life in the Stewartville area traces back to the early 1850s when Irish Catholic families settled near Simpson and were served by priests traveling from St. Bridget's, from Rochester's St. John's, and from a small Catholic church in High Forest three miles west of Stewartville. Construction of the first St. Bernard's began in 1897, and on May 13, 1898 the new church was dedicated before an estimated 2,000 people. Bishop Cotter, Father Condron, and visiting clergy led the liturgy, which was followed by a 600-person banquet and a social dance at Keenan's Opera House.
- Church construction began in 1897 at a cost of $6,000.
- Original building was 30 × 60 ft with a 22 × 30 ft sacristy and 71-ft steeple.
- Church bell cost $220 and was noted for its distinctive tone.
- Parish rectory built in 1916 under Father Condron for $5,000.
- Joseph Mayou and Joseph Towey (ordained 1942) were priests from the parish.
- A new St. Bernard church was built in 2004 just south of the original, and the 1898 church was razed.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a Religious Education program out of a dedicated Religious Ed Office, which can be reached at 507-533-8192. Each summer the parish offers Vacation Bible School for children, with registration pamphlets available on the website. Parishioners also receive a free subscription to FORMED, the Catholic online platform with more than 4,000 studies, movies, audio dramas, talks, e-books, and children's programming — sign up at formed.org using Stewartville ZIP 55976 and choose St. Bernard's.
- Religious Ed Office: 507-533-8192
- Vacation Bible School (annual summer program)
- FORMED Catholic online platform access
- The Courier — diocesan monthly newsletter
Liturgical Ministries
A Liturgical Ministers page is maintained on the parish website to organize those who serve at the altar and in the worship life of the parish. Together with the Pastoral Council, the parish supports the pastor in the work of teaching, governing, and sanctifying for the building up of the Kingdom of God.
- Liturgical Ministers (altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, etc.)
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Parish Outreach and Charity
St. Bernard's extends its Catholic mission beyond its walls through financial and volunteer support of several local and regional charities serving people in need. These include Dorothy Day House, Channel One food shelf in Stewartville, Meals on Wheels, and the Interfaith Hospitality Network in Rochester. The parish also contributes to the Missionaries of Charity in the Twin Cities, the religious congregation founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta.
- Dorothy Day House
- Channel One (Stewartville)
- Meals on Wheels
- Interfaith Hospitality Network (Rochester)
- Missionaries of Charity (Twin Cities)
Sacramental Life
Sacramental preparation is coordinated through the parish office and the Religious Education Office. Baptisms, First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Marriage are celebrated in the parish, and Reconciliation is offered Saturday afternoons before Mass.
- Baptism
- First Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Reconciliation
Leadership & Staff
St. Bernard's is led by its pastor, who also serves as pastor of nearby St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Simpson. The parish secretary shares the [email protected] inbox, and the Religious Education Office has a separate line for faith formation inquiries.
- Pastor: Father Kevin Connolly (since 2019)
- Parish Office / Secretary: [email protected]
- Religious Ed Office: 507-533-8192
- Diocese: Winona–Rochester
Visiting St. Bernard's
St. Bernard's is located in the heart of Stewartville, Minnesota, with easy access from U.S. Highway 30. Visitors are invited to attend the Saturday 5:00 PM or Sunday 10:00 AM Mass, or stop by the parish office during the week. Online giving is available through the parish website, and the parish community is supported by The Courier, the Diocese of Winona–Rochester's monthly newsletter.
- Office: 116 4th Ave SE, Stewartville, MN 55976
- Saturday Vigil Mass 5:00 PM
- Sunday Mass 10:00 AM
- Online giving available via sbsbparishes.org
- Diocesan newsletter: The Courier
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Condron
Supervised construction of the parish rectory in 1916; led the 1898 dedication alongside Bishop Cotter.
- Father Matt Fasnacht
Served as pastor of St. Bernard's and St. Bridget's in the early 2010s; celebrated Saturday 5 p.m. and Sunday 10:30 a.m. Masses and two Latin Masses each month.
- Father Kevin Connolly2019–present
Current pastor of St. Bernard and St. Bridget parishes.