About St. Bernard · Sunrise, Florida
St. Bernard Catholic Church is a multicultural Archdiocese of Miami parish in Sunrise, Florida, founded on June 17, 1971, to serve the Catholic community in Sunrise and neighboring Lauderhill. A church building was dedicated in 1974 and a parish center in 1980, and today the parish offers Mass in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole (with the choir also singing French and Tagalog). The parish is known regionally as a designated hurricane shelter and for its active Saint Vincent de Paul Society and Respect Life Outreach, which together care for the materially poor, unwed mothers, and the homebound throughout Northwest Broward.
- Established
- 1971
- Patron
- St. Bernard (of Clairvaux)
- Rector
- Fr. Jorge Rodríguez de LaViuda
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami (Northwest Broward Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Bernard welcomes lifetime Catholics, members of other faiths, and those exploring spirituality with the same invitation: come worship, be fed by great music and preaching, and find a place to serve. The parish combines traditional devotions (daily Mass, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions) with a multicultural worship life that includes English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole Masses plus a choir that sings in English, Spanish, Creole, French, and Tagalog. Outreach is woven into parish identity — through Saint Vincent de Paul, Respect Life, Rice Bowl, ministry to the homebound, and the parish's role as a hurricane shelter — so members can grow in faith while tangibly caring for neighbors in Sunrise and Lauderhill.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Monday–Friday 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM (Chapel in the Parish Hall)
About St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard Catholic Church is a multicultural Archdiocese of Miami parish serving Sunrise and Lauderhill in Northwest Broward County. Founded on June 17, 1971, the parish dedicated its church in 1974 and built its parish center in 1980. The parish describes itself as a community where lifetime Catholics, members of other faiths, and those exploring spirituality are all welcomed — gathering each week to worship, celebrate baptisms and anniversaries, prepare for the week ahead, and reach out to those in need.
- Founded June 17, 1971
- Church dedicated 1974; parish center built 1980
- Located in the Northwest Broward Deanery, Archdiocese of Miami
- Multicultural Catholic community
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish is currently led by Fr. Jorge Rodríguez de LaViuda as Pastor. Fr. Jorge studied theology at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach, graduating with a Master's in Divinity, and was ordained a priest in 2001 for the Archdiocese of Miami. Before coming to St. Bernard he served as Parochial Vicar at Santa Rosa de Lima in Miami Shores and Good Shepherd in Kendall, and as Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Fort Lauderdale and Saint Timothy in Miami. He can be reached at [email protected].
- Fr. Jorge Rodríguez de LaViuda — Pastor (ordained 2001, Archdiocese of Miami); previously at Santa Rosa de Lima, Good Shepherd Kendall, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Saint Timothy
- Deacon Armando Martínez — assists at Mass, baptismal formation, RCIA, marriage counseling, funerals, and ministry formation; moved to Sunrise in 2017
Liturgical Ministries
The Music Ministry, directed by Lu White, provides music for all weekend Masses, multilingual Masses, specialty Masses, and the multilingual Christmas Concert before Midnight Mass, singing in English, Spanish, Creole, French, and Tagalog. Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings at 6:00 PM (English) and ~7:00 PM (Spanish) in the Parish Hall, and new singers and instrumentalists of all ages — especially young adults — are welcome. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) help distribute Holy Communion and bring the Eucharist to the sick and homebound. Training is arranged through Judy Sousa. Altar Servers are needed for all Masses; the parish will train servers and welcomes teens who need confirmation or school service hours — contact Sacristan Carlington Swan or any altar server after Mass.
- Music Ministry / Choir (English & Spanish) — director Lu White, [email protected]
- Lectors (English) — contact Judy Sousa, [email protected]
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
- Altar Servers — contact Sacristan Carlington Swan
- Multilingual Christmas Concert before Midnight Mass
Religious Education & Faith Formation
The Religious Education Program at St. Bernard collaborates with families to bring children and young people closer to Jesus through the teachings and traditions of the Catholic faith. Classes are offered for 1st graders through high school, with in-person classes typically beginning the week of September 13th. Parents are required to attend Mass (in person or virtually), with children's attendance tracked via weekly envelopes used as a giving record. Students are prepared for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.
- Religious Education / CCD — 1st grade through High School
- Preparation for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
- Family-based faith formation with Mass attendance required
- Online Giving option for envelope donations
Adult Formation & RCIA
The Adult Formation program at St. Bernard runs the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the formal process for adults wishing to enter the Catholic Church or complete their sacraments. The parish welcomes four groups into the process: unbaptized adults, Christians baptized in another denomination seeking full communion, baptized Catholics missing Communion and/or Confirmation, and fully-initiated Catholics who simply want to learn more about their faith. Registration typically begins in July. Some adult formation sessions have been offered via Zoom in the evenings (e.g., September, 7:00 PM–8:30 PM).
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
- For unbaptized adults, Christians entering full communion, Catholics completing sacraments, and Catholics seeking deeper formation
- Evening sessions offered via Zoom
- Registration begins in July each year
Sacraments
St. Bernard prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism requires attendance at a Pre-Baptism Class, held the 1st Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM (parishioners or guests from other parishes). First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing Reconciliation formation are coordinated through the Religious Education Program. Couples contact the parish office for Marriage preparation, and Anointing of the Sick is offered for the ill and elderly. Sacramental records can be requested in person with a government-issued photo ID, or by signed letter — only the recipient (or parent/legal guardian of a minor) may apply; certificates are not issued for genealogical purposes.
- Baptism — with Pre-Baptism Class, 1st Tuesday 7:00 PM
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick
- First Communion & Confirmation preparation via Religious Education
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:45–4:45 PM or by appointment
- Sacramental records — in person with photo ID or signed letter
Outreach & Service
Outreach is at the heart of St. Bernard's identity. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society serves the materially poor in the surrounding community. Respect Life Outreach collects and donates essentials and furniture to unwed mothers, helps them find housing, and supports the Archdiocesan Respect Life Office with monthly donations totaling several thousand dollars annually. Volunteers regularly visit the elderly and homebound — bringing food, clothing, children, and dogs — and host an annual luncheon, transporting the homebound to and from the church for a respite. The parish participates in the Rice Bowl program to feed the hungry and donates time and money to a nearby Catholic orphanage. After hurricanes, parishioners collect and deliver food to schools, other churches, hospitals, and other institutions.
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society
- Respect Life Outreach (monthly donations to the Archdiocesan Respect Life Office)
- Visits to the elderly and homebound, including annual luncheon
- Rice Bowl participation
- Support for a nearby Catholic orphanage
- Post-hurricane food collection and delivery
- Designated parish hurricane shelter
Prayer Groups & Devotions
St. Bernard hosts ongoing prayer and devotion groups in multiple languages, giving parishioners regular opportunities to pray together outside of Mass.
- Prayer Group – English (Spirit Hope) — contact Marlene
- Prayer Group – Haitian — contact Judy
- Weekday Eucharistic Adoration — Mon–Fri 10:30 AM–4:00 PM, Parish Hall chapel
- Confessions before each Saturday Vigil Mass
Contact, Location & Office
The parish offices are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The mailing and physical address is 8279 Sunset Strip, Sunrise, FL 33322. Telephone is (954) 741-7800 with fax (954) 742-4558. The parish website is www.stbernardsunrise.org, and the parish is also listed on the Archdiocese of Miami website (miamiarch.org) and maintains a Facebook presence.
- Address: 8279 Sunset Strip, Sunrise, FL 33322
- Phone: (954) 741-7800
- Fax: (954) 742-4558
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Website: www.stbernardsunrise.org
- Listed in the Northwest Broward Deanery, Archdiocese of Miami (miamiarch.org)
- Facebook: St. Bernard Catholic Church