St. Bernadette Parish, the pioneer Catholic church of Lakewood, outgrew its first worship space just 18 years after being founded in 1947. In addition to ministering to the faithful of central Lakewood, the parish heads Colorado Catholic Deaf Ministry, is home to St. Kateri Native American Community, runs a school and is host to Marisol Home, which provides transitional housing to homeless women with children.
“One holy, Catholic and apostolic church is a pretty good description for our parish,” says Father Tom Coyte.The deaf ministry of St, Bernadette enables the hard of hearing to serve as lectors, ushers and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. It offers interpretive services for weddings, funerals and religious education classes, and organizes retreats.
Services include religious education and interpretive outreach, and signed weekly Masses at two other parishes—one in the Colorado Springs Diocese. “We also go to Pueblo and have been to other states,” Father Coyte says.
The St. Kateri ministry – in which people from across the archdiocese representing about ten Native American tribes celebrate a weekly Mass incorporating Indian traditions – has been at St. Bernadette’s since 1985. Kateri ministry exists to evangelize and provide religious education and community building to the archdiocese’s Native American community. “They’ve been embraced here,” Father Coyte says. “They have a beautiful spirituality.”
In 2016, the Kateri community, which had turned the parish’s old convent into a chapel, moved their weekly Mass into the church proper. Catholic Charities has transformed Kateri’s former home for worship into a home for single-parent mothers with children, providing shelter for up to 18 families.
Ministry to the poor and homeless has long been a cherished activity of the parish, which helps a near daily stream of indigent from Lakewood’s Colfax corridor with food, rent assistance and resource referrals.
Excerpted from “St. Bernadette’s Parish provides ministries with big reach” by Roxanne King, Denver Catholic, February 21, 2017
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, Saint Bernadette Soubirous, and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. 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.
St. Bernadette Parish is home to the Colorado Catholic Deaf Community with many of our services signed in American Sign Language (ASL). All Deaf Colorado Christians are welcome to come worship with us.
The St. Kateri Catholic Community is a ministry of St. Bernadette Parish. The community is primarily comprised of people of Native American Heritage and incorporates both Catholic and American Indian traditions. We gather for weekly Mass, worship, religious education and community building events. The St. Kateri mission is to serve the Native American people of the Archdiocese of Denver. All are welcome to join our services and celebrations.
Heavenly Father, may the blessings of your sevenfold Gifts be in all who teach and in all who learn through the Holy Spirit, who is the Love of the Father and the Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
St. Bernadette Online Community
