When the building at St. Bernadette was constructed in 1970, the plan was to create a space that conformed to the Second Vatican Council's inspired awareness of the liturgical needs and objectives for Catholic worship.

Brother Mel Meyer, a Marianist artist, was commissioned to transform the space into an environment in which liturgy would flourish.

Br. Mel designed and crafted with harmonious beauty the fresco walls, metal sculptures, baptismal font, stained glass windows and wooden furnishings. Abstract designs and figures of nature were drawn into the fresco providing a backdrop to the altar, a simple wooden table.

The walls on either side of the worship space are made of glass with views of nature. The natural light gives depth and changing tones to the fresco.

The area around the altar is spacious to accommodate the people and rituals inherent to sacred liturgy. The presider's chair, clearly a prominent one, is placed in a suitable position for leading our community prayer.

For each season of the church year, the cloths covering the altar and ambo match the priest's vestments in liturgical color and simple design.

Upon entering the worship space at St. Bernadette, it is not customary to genuflect. There is no tabernacle here. This space is for the celebration, not the reservation, of the Eucharist.

The celebration of the sacrifice of the mass is a communal action. The altar and ambo are the two focal points of the worship space because it is at these two places that the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist take place.

We are a resurrection people. As we follow Christ crucified, the core of our faith is in the Paschal Mystery: Christ's life, death, and resurrection!
The processional cross is affixed to a floor stand during mass.

The tabernacle on the wall of the chapel is for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. This ancient tradition continues for the purposes of bringing Communion to the sick, for private devotion, and for Communion services. The Chapel is also used for weekday mass and for Confessions.

In keeping with the character of the steel building, Br. Mel sculptured statuary out of hammered and soldered metal. The most prominent is the Risen Lord Jesus depicted as King.

A sculpture of Mary is the only image of a saint in the worship space. She is placed where she can be seen as part of the assembled community, as a visual reminder that we are all part of the communion of saints.

The candle at the sculpture of Mary is lit for celebrations of her feasts.

In keeping with an age old tradition of either covering or removing sacred images during Lent, the sculpture of the risen Jesus is taken down from the worship space wall. It is replaced with a simple metal Lenten cross. A smaller processional cross, made of metal and wood, fits into this Lenten cross becoming one piece. On Good Friday, it is this Lenten cross that is carried through the assembly and used for the veneration.

The environment is regularly enhanced to create a mood or an atmosphere for liturgical seasons. Simple arrangements invite contemplation and stir imagination. They are meant to encourage people to actively involve their emotions along with their mind, heart and soul into the liturgy.

The worship space at St. Bernadette is not complete without people!

Laid out in a semi-circular pattern, there is no center aisle. This arrangement promotes a sense of community, allowing people to see each other as well as the altar. It enables hospitality and better participation in liturgy, the action of the people.

In the worship space at St. Bernadette, liturgies thrive.

The worship space, relatively small, seats fewer than 500 people. Small intimate gatherings are the ideal for celebrating Eucharist. However, to accommodate the large crowds at Christmas and at Easter, the space can be expanded by opening doors along the back wall.

The pews were designed without kneelers. Standing is a position of respect and reverence. This age-old posture for prayer is the norm at St. Bernadette. Standing enables us to give praise and thanksgiving with our whole being. It shows our readiness to live out what we are celebrating.

Baptisms are communal celebrations and are typically celebrated during weekend masses. The Baptismal font, situated in full view of the congregation, is a round basin made of solid glowing copper large enough for a baby to be immersed. The Easter candle stands prominently nearby.

The walls on either side of the worship space are made of glass. Br. Mel graced these panes with poignant depictions of the Stations of the Cross fashioned out of striking stained glass and twisted metal.

Music has power to unite people. Historically, music holds a preeminent role in the traditions of public worship. Praising God in song is an integral part of the Eucharistic prayer, and a natural response to the outpouring of God's great love for us.

At St. Bernadette, the worship space is furnished with a grand piano as well as an organ with pipes hidden behind a portion of the frescoed wall. For liturgical celebrations, the choir and all variety of music ministers join together in this area facing the assembly.

At St. Bernadette, the music ministry is reputedly exceptional!

The walls of the nursery/cry room, enclosed in one corner of the worship space, were painted by Artist Jo Shane who was commissioned by a parish family to paint the Noah's ark theme as a memoriam to their granddaughter.

The worship space at St. Bernadette is part of a multi-purpose building. Front and back entries to the building lead into this open space commonly called the gallery. Upon entering through the front doors, the office and library are visible behind glass walls on the left. The worship space is entered through sets of doors on the right. Access to the hall and kitchen are also made through the gallery.

This depiction of Mary appearing to St. Bernadette is an example of Brother Mel's art that extends outside the worship space into the gallery.

The lectionary, when not being used, is placed on its stand outside the worship space. Whenever the book is open, the candle is lit to signify Jesus' presence in the Word the same way that a lighted candle honors Jesus' presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

Another book in the gallery is the book of prayers. Here parishioners write personal intentions they would like to be prayed for that weekend. Along with all prayers held in the silence of our hearts, these written intentions are not spoken individually. But together they are prayed for as one of the General Intercessions.

The people of St. Bernadette gather in hospitality and to perform the myriad ministries vital to a thriving parish. Here they have a place to be "church" together before and after celebrating mass in the adjacent worship space, and at any other times.

In the 1970's, the type and cost of a building for St. Bernadette parish was discerned through a methodical process involving the full participation of the laity. Rather than a steepled monument, this modest building of pre-engineered steel and concrete was built to serve as a place for the people of St. Bernadette to belong, to worship, and to carry out God's work on earth.

Groundbreaking took place April 29, 1979. The dedication of the building was celebrated at special masses on April 19 and 20, 1980.

The building is not the church. The sign at St. Bernadette conveys the spirit that is core to the identity of this parish: The people themselves are the church at St. Bernadette Parish.