A Parish of Three Communities on West 12th Avenue

St. Bernadette Catholic Parish stands on West 12th Avenue in Lakewood, Colorado, and is more than a single Sunday congregation. Three distinct communities share the building and the week: the main parish, the Colorado Catholic Deaf Community, and the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Community. On a single Sunday, the church hosts an American Sign Language interpreted Mass at 9:00 a.m., the Kateri Mass at noon, and the weekday rhythm of daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and reconciliation in between.

The parish takes its name from St. Bernadette Soubirous, the young French visionary of Lourdes, and her words set the tone for everything the parish does: "I shall spend every moment loving. One who loves does not notice her trials; or perhaps more accurately, she is able to love them." St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the seventeenth-century Mohawk convert canonized in 2012, and the Blessed Virgin Mary share the title of patroness.

The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Denver. Its mission statement reads: "Saint Bernadette Catholic Parish in the heart of Lakewood Colorado, is an inclusive Christian Community committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are strengthened by the Word of God and the Sacraments, guided by the Holy Spirit, and inspired by our Patronesses the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Bernadette Soubirous. We aspire to live our faith through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and follow our Lord's command to call all to discipleship."

Mass, Reconciliation, and Adoration

Mass is offered every day of the week. The Saturday Vigil Mass begins at 4:00 p.m., and Sunday Masses follow at 9:00 a.m., interpreted in American Sign Language, and at noon for the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Community. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 8:00 a.m., with an additional 9:00 a.m. Mass on the first Saturday of each month.

Confessions are heard on Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m., as well as at 9:30 a.m. after the first-Saturday Mass. Confessions can also be scheduled by appointment with the pastor. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows the Friday daily Mass until 12:30 p.m., and a Holy Hour is offered on Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

St. Bernadette follows the archdiocese's "Restored Order" for the sacraments of Christian initiation. Children are baptized in infancy, then prepared for Confirmation and First Eucharist together, in that order, around the age of eight or nine. Reconciliation can begin as young as second grade, "the age of reason in which children can begin to participate in the sacramental life of the church."

The Seven Sacraments at St. Bernadette

Baptism. Baptism is the gateway to the other sacraments and the foundation of the Christian life. For infants and children under seven, parents contact the parish office to begin preparation, choose godparents, and gather the paperwork. At least one Catholic godparent is required, and the chosen godparent must be confirmed, at least sixteen, and a practicing Catholic who attends Mass and confession regularly. For those seeking baptism for themselves or an older family member, the parish walks them through the same process.

Confirmation and First Eucharist. Under the Restored Order, Confirmation is celebrated before First Eucharist, typically in third grade for baptized children who have also made their first Reconciliation. Preparation runs one to two years depending on prior catechesis. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit - wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge, reverence, and wonder and awe - are presented during the preparation. Adults who have not yet been confirmed follow a similar path through the parish's Faith Formation Together process.

Reconciliation. The Saturday and Sunday confession times are open to anyone. The act of confession includes a brief examination of conscience, the confession itself, an Act of Contrition, and the words of absolution that restore baptismal innocence. A suggested Act of Contrition is provided in the bulletin and on the reconciliation section of the parish's teaching.

Eucharist. Communion is received standing, with a bow of reverence before the minister, responding "Amen" to "The Body of Christ" and "The Blood of Christ." Communicants may receive in the hand or on the tongue. A one-hour fast before Communion is the recommended preparation, and a few moments of silent thanksgiving follow.

Marriage. Marriage preparation is led by Deacon Hal Goldwire and follows Archdiocese of Denver guidelines recommending eight to twelve months of formation. Couples meet with the deacon, complete the FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communications, Understanding and Study) inventory with two to three follow-up sessions, attend a Marriage Prep Program, take a Natural Family Planning course, and gather all the paperwork and liturgical plans in the final two months before the wedding. A marriage between two Catholics is usually celebrated within Mass; a marriage between a Catholic and an unbaptized person is celebrated outside Mass.

Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders. Anointing is available to anyone facing serious illness, a terminal diagnosis, or a major surgery; the parish encourages calling sooner rather than later, since the sacrament brings spiritual strength and is not reserved for the last moments of life. Those discerning a call to priesthood can speak with the pastor, who will put them in touch with the Archdiocese of Denver's Vocations Office.

The St. Kateri Tekakwitha Community

For decades, St. Bernadette has been home to the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Community, a ministry of the parish that serves Native American Catholics across the Archdiocese of Denver. The community gathers for Mass at noon each Sunday at St. Bernadette and incorporates both Catholic and American Indian traditions in its worship, religious education, and community-building events.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the "Lily of the Mohawks," was born in 1656 to a Christian Algonquin mother and a Mohawk chief. Orphaned by smallpox at four and scarred for life, she begged her uncle to let her be baptized and was received into the Church in 1676. Refusing an arranged marriage, she escaped to the Christian Indian village of Sault Ste. Marie in Canada, made her First Communion on Christmas two months later, and took a vow of chastity in 1679. She died at twenty-four and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012.

Fr. Joseph McLagan serves as interim chaplain of the St. Kateri Community at St. Bernadette, with Margaret Tranekier coordinating religious education. All are welcome at the noon Sunday Mass.

The Colorado Catholic Deaf Community

St. Bernadette is also the home parish of the Colorado Catholic Deaf Community, an American Sign Language ministry serving deaf and hard-of-hearing Catholics across Colorado. The parish hosts an interpreted Mass every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and offers interpreter services for weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other parish events.

The Colorado Catholic Deaf Community is chapter 37 of the International Catholic Deaf Association, working under the National Catholic Office for the Deaf. Clayton Tuck serves as interpreter coordinator. The community can be reached by videophone at (720) 210-5494 or by voice at (303) 715-8288 to arrange interpreter services.

The deaf community has shaped the architecture of the church. The 2018 capital campaign placed the St. Bernadette chapel and the Eucharistic chapel so that deaf and hearing parishioners would share the same sanctuary, and the altar was raised during the remodel so that everyone - especially members of the deaf community who need a clear line of sight to the celebrant - could more fully take part in the liturgy. The parish also hosts an online ASL YouCat video series for ongoing faith formation.

Becoming Catholic and Adult Faith Formation

Those who have not been baptized, or who have been baptized in another Christian tradition and wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church, follow the parish's Faith Formation Together process, the local name for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The smaller community setting brings catechumens and candidates into direct contact with the clergy for lessons and conversation.

For Catholics who want to keep growing, "Faith Formation for Everyone" meets one Thursday a month from September to May, focusing on the Bible and following "The Bible in a Year" with Fr. Mike Schmitz. The parish also offers subscription access to Formed.org, an online Catholic media library often described as a "Catholic Netflix," with movies, Bible studies, kids' programs, and audio books available on demand. TMIY (That Man Is You), a men's group, runs alongside a Lectio study on salvation by Michael Barber, and the Archdiocese of Denver's St. John Vianney Lay Division offers year-long programs in Scripture, Catechism, and apologetics at parishes around the archdiocese.

Liturgical Ministries: How a Sunday Mass Comes Together

St. Bernadette's regular liturgies are supported by an extensive team of volunteers. Lectors proclaim the readings at Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest in distributing the Body and Blood of Christ. Sacristans quietly prepare the altar, the credence table, the Lectionary, the Roman Missal, and the Book of the Gospels before each liturgy. Altar Servers, open to any girl or boy who has received First Communion, assist at the altar. Ministers of Hospitality greet worshippers, seat latecomers, and distribute bulletins.

The Music Ministry draws on choirs and instrumentalists who, in the words of the parish's own description, "truly understand the difference between prayer and performance." St. Augustine's line, "He who sings prays twice," opens the ministry's description, and the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy is cited for the church's teaching on sacred music. Wedding music at the parish includes a pianist and vocalist for $200, with additional musicians available for $75 each; couples may use outside musicians with approval from the Pastoral Associate.

Living the Works of Mercy: Outreach Ministries

St. Bernadette's outreach ministry is grounded in Matthew 25:34-36: "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me." The parish takes that passage literally.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion visit the homebound, those in hospitals, and residents of nursing homes and hospices. A separate Visitation Ministry offers companionship to isolated members of the community, with no requirement to also be a Eucharistic minister. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls while praying for the recipient; each shawl is blessed and delivered to someone going through serious illness or a life crisis. Funeral Luncheons provide a meal and a gathering for bereaved families after a funeral.

The parish conducts an ongoing food collection for the Knights of Columbus Food Bank, which distributes emergency food to those in need, and the parish office assembles "Essential Bags" of granola bars, water, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wipes, deodorant, and other daily necessities for anyone walking in who needs help.

On Thursdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., the parish hosts a Marisol Family Services distribution out of Doherty Hall. Marisol Family, formerly the Gabriel House Project, provides diapers, wipes, formula, baby supplies, young children's clothing, and family education to expectant moms and families with young children across Northern Colorado. A Grief Ministry offers one-on-one accompaniment to those journeying through loss.

Youth on Fire

St. Bernadette's "Youth on Fire" program serves young people in fourth through twelfth grades. The program gathers on the first Saturday of the month from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. and on the third Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with additional events posted on the parish's Flocknote system.

The youth come together for games, small groups, talks, hikes, water-park trips, water wars, prayer, and service. Everything the program teaches is, in the words of the parish's own description, "rooted biblically and catechetically" and discerned by the parish staff. The program invites high-schoolers to join conferences like Mountain Madness and welcomes adult volunteers to lead small groups, prepare talks, or simply walk alongside the teens. Volunteer applications are accepted by emailing the parish office.

The Building and the Capital Campaign

St. Bernadette celebrated its 70th anniversary on Christmas Eve, 2018. Over the past decade, the parish has invested in a series of major capital improvements, financed through a Building Fund and a Capital Campaign.

A 2017 hail storm damaged the church roof, and the subsequent repair gave the parish the chance to repaint the church, replace the carpeting, and modernize the elevator. The altar was raised during the remodel, with the goal of allowing everyone in the pews - and especially members of the deaf community who need a clear line of sight to the celebrant - to feel closer to the action at the altar. A new baptistry was placed near the doors of the church, symbolically connecting the waters of Baptism with the image of water flowing from the Immaculate Conception mosaic behind the altar. Two side chapels were created: a Bernadette chapel with a statue of St. Bernadette as a child, and an Eucharistic chapel with an icon of St. Vincent de Sales. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms were added, and repairs were made to the school roof and parking lot drainage.

Future plans include additional work on the school and the convent building, as well as the parish ball field. The Building Fund continues to accept donations to support maintenance, repay the bridge loan taken out early in the campaign, and complete those remaining projects.

Clergy, Staff, and How to Connect

The parish is led by Fr. Geronimo Gonzalez, pastor, with Fr. Andrew Krische serving as parochial vicar. Two deacons, Dcn Hal Goldwire and Dcn Patrick Smith, assist at Mass, with baptisms and weddings, and in marriage preparation. Fr. Joseph McLagan serves as interim chaplain of the St. Kateri Catholic Community.

The parish office at 7240 West 12th Avenue is open Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The office is closed on Wednesdays. The main number is 303.233.1523, with email at Connect@StBernadetteLakewood.org. In a pastoral emergency when the office is closed, dial the same number and follow the prompts to reach the pastor's extension. The parish is on Facebook, sends weekly updates through Flocknote, and accepts online donations through Faith Direct and the Archdiocese of Denver's giving portal.

"We welcome you to our church - no matter who you are or where you are on your faith journey," reads the welcome message. Parish registration is available online through the parish's My Own Church portal, and weekly bulletins can be read online.