On June 14, Bishop Alberto Rojas and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Rutilio del Riego blessed and dedicated the newly renovated rectory at St. Bernardine Parish in San Bernardino. In addition, to mark this special occasion, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran presented a Certificate of Recognition, which offered congratulations and best wishes to all who minister from the parish and to all who will be served within it.
The vision behind the rectory’s renovation is to honor the past, celebrate the present, and prepare for the future of St. Bernardine Parish.
For more than 160 years, St. Bernardine Parish has stood as a cornerstone of faith in the City of San Bernardino. From the completion of its first church in 1864 to the dedication of the present church in 1912.
Parish leaders offered sincere appreciation to the generous individuals whose support helped make the renovation possible: diocesan attorney Bill Lemann, diocesan Vicar General, Monsignor Gerard Lopez, Bill Sutcliffe and family, and Marielena Shorett.
Lemann has deep roots within the parish community and when he toured the rectory early last year, he witnessed its poor condition. He decided to take the initiative to begin the long-awaited rennovation project.
“He was a student at the St. Bernardine Schools, and his mother was a faithful parishioner, as he is today,” said Anysia Aguirre, a paralegal at Lemann’s law practice and main coordinator of the renovation and blessing. “Beyond caring for our facilities, he’s always made sure our community is well-taken care of. From my perspective, Mr. Lemann’s generosity towards St. Bernardine’s stems from love for a place he can also call home.”
The history of St. Bernardine extends beyond its church walls. The parish established St. Catherine’s School in 1880, the first Catholic school serving the surrounding counties, and later expanded its educational mission through St. Bernardine School.
The rectory, completed in the early twentieth century as part of a growing parish campus, has long been a place of hospitality. pastoral leadership, and community engagement.
The renovation of the St. Bernardine Rectory is both a preservation of its heritage and an investment in the future. As this historic building begins a new chapter, it stands as a symbol of continued commitment to faith, service, and the community it serves.