St. Bernard Church  Watertown

Picturesque St. Bernard Catholic Church stands at the corner of W. Main and S. Church Streets in the heart of Watertown, Jefferson County, within the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin.

St. Bernard Parish was established in late January 1843. Shortly thereafter, a 27' x 36' white frame church was erected immediately south of the present church building. In 1857, St. Bernard School was opened to provide Catholic education for the children of the parish. In 1870, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee entrusted the care of St. Bernard Parish to the Congregation of Holy Cross. Soon afterward, Fr. William Corby, C.S.C., the first pastor of St. Bernard, began plans for a larger and more fitting church to accommodate the growing Catholic community.

In 1873, the cornerstone of the present St. Bernard Church was laid, and the church was completed in 1876. The cornerstone, a gift from the people of Cashel, Ireland, was taken from the historic Rock of Cashel. To this day, visitors from Ireland who have seen the Rock of Cashel often come to Watertown seeking this treasured connection between the two communities. The completed church, a remarkable achievement for its time, was built at a final cost of $100,000.

The parish continued to grow in both faith and service. In 1892, the “Old School Building” was constructed. In 1914, many of the church’s stained glass windows were replaced with brighter and more devotional windows depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary, various saints, the Good Shepherd, and Christ with the Little Children. In 1920, diocesan priests from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee temporarily assumed pastoral care of the parish. In 1928, the Holy Cross Fathers returned and resumed their ministry at St. Bernard “in perpetuity.”

On January 9, 1946, Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Madison, which included Jefferson County and St. Bernard Parish. In 1958, the parish purchased the Soliday House and adjoining property, converting the residence into a convent for the Sisters of St. Agnes. In 1960, an addition was built onto the school, commonly referred to as the “new school.”

Throughout the decades, St. Bernard continued to preserve and beautify its sacred spaces. In 1974, a fire in the church steeple became a significant event in the Watertown community. In 1977, the rear chapel was renovated, and the church organ was rebuilt and rededicated.

In 1980, the church’s front deck, steps, and stone retaining wall were replaced. The Holy Cross Fathers concluded their ministry at St. Bernard in June 1985, at which time pastoral administration was transferred to the Diocese of Madison. Beginning in 1987, a major restoration of the church’s stained glass windows was undertaken, a project that continued for more than a decade.

In 2000, the stained glass restoration project was completed. Between 2001 and 2002, the sanctuary murals, which had been painted over during renovations in the 1970s, were carefully restored to their original beauty. In 2010, St. Bernard launched the “Aspire” campaign to replace the church roof and restore the steeple. In 2017, the church interior received new plaster and paint.

In 2019, the front retaining wall and concrete steps were reconstructed, and a new accessible entrance ramp was installed. That same year, the chapel underwent extensive renovation, incorporating the same decorative style and color scheme as the main church. During the summer of 2020, a reredos was acquired and adapted for use within the sanctuary. In 2021, the chapel renovation was completed, carpeting in the nave was replaced with porcelain tile, and air conditioning was installed throughout the church. The sanctuary was also comprehensively renovated, including the installation of a new altar, reredos, ambo, and baptismal font, further enhancing the dignity and beauty of the sacred liturgy.

On October 1, 2024, St. Bernard Parish canonically merged with St. Henry Catholic Church in Watertown, St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Johnson Creek, and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Lake Mills to form St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish, continuing the enduring mission of the Catholic faith in the region for future generations.