Prior to 1958, the Archdiocese of New Orleans established a presence in the Bayou Cane area. Priests from St. Francis Church celebrated Sunday Mass in the Bayou Cane School. Later the parish celebrated the Mass at the Broadmoor School Cafeteria. On February 11, 1958, Archbishop Rummel called a committee meeting in New Orleans and presented Fr. George Herbert as the new pastor of the Bayou Cane area.

            Archbishop Rummel further suggested that the name of the new parish be St. Bernadette Soubirous, because it was on the morning of February 11, 1858, exactly one hundred years earlier, that the Blessed Mother appeared to Marie Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. St. Bernadette Parish was officially founded on June 29, 1958. Mass continued to be celebrated in the Broadmoor School Cafeteria until they built the new church. The parish celebrated the first Mass in the new church on July 5, 1959.

            In August 1961, Fr. Herbert signed a contract to begin construction of a rectory, school and convent. Fr. Herbert secured the services of the Dominican Sisters. The school opened in August 1962 with grades one through three. The enrollment was 128 students. Each year a grade was added until the 7th grade. Sr. Mary Antoinette Millet, O.P. was the first principal.

            The church constructed eight more classrooms in 1966 but a decline in enrollment, lack of funds and the need for qualified teachers prompted the Dominican Sisters to recommend the closing of the school in 1968. The St. Bernadette School Board and parents were determined to keep the school open. They inaugurated fund-raising projects to support the school. A kindergarten class was added. In 1970, the school obtained state approval, and the student enrollment reached 300.

            In 1975, a parish center (Herbert Hall) was built to provide a place to serve the spiritual and recreational needs of the parish better. It has been important in the development of the unity and community spirit of the parish family.

            On January 19, 1979, work began on the new wing of the school that included the library, resource room and the band room. The Dominican Sisters withdrew from the school in May 1987. Mrs. Patricia Domingue was the first lay principal.

            In 1979 St. Bernadette Church was renovated to hold its growing congregation. These renovations included the addition of two wings, a vestibule, a cry room, stained glass windows, carpeting and the restructuring and moving of the altar to a more central focal point. The interior now includes a new tabernacle and sanctuary furnishings.

            St. Bernadette has grown from 435 Catholic families in 1958 to approximately 2550 registered families making it the largest parish in the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese. Following the directives of Vatican II, the parishioners of St. Bernadette are very involved in the mission of the church especially in spiritual growth, adult education, evangelization, religious education of the youth and the liturgical life of the parish.

            Economic hardships in the 80's caused a reduction of the school enrollment. In 1987 the school went from two classes of each grade to one. Pre-kindergarten classes were added and in 1990 the process of adding two classes a year began with two kindergarten classes. In 1997 all grades had two classes. Because of this new expansion, the church offices and school were expanded to house new classrooms, a science lab, a faculty lounge, additional office space, a larger cafeteria area and resource room for students with special needs. This was completed in 1995.

            St. Bernadette is blessed with very active Auxiliary, scouts, St. Vincent de Paul, etc. All parishioners are encouraged to take responsibility for the life organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Kay Cee Ladies Auxiliary and growth of the Parish Family. This is evident in the involvement of the laity in every aspect of parish life - youth ministry, religious education, liturgical ministries, and school. St. Bernadette has six functioning choirs leading liturgical celebrations at all Masses.

            One principle of Vatican II was collegiality (sharing responsibility for the life of the church). St. Bernadette Parish was one of the first parishes to use the Pastoral Council model of involving parishioners in the spiritual well being of the parish. Opportunities for adult learning and spiritual growth include educational courses, two parish missions a year, parish retreat, discussion and Scripture Study groups.

            Since the parish is so large and so diverse, St. Bernadette tries to reach out to as many families as possible and offer various programs and opportunities for growth. For example we have a variety of children's ministries. Besides religious education classes we also offer Children's Liturgy of the Word, Wee Celebrate, (a babysitting/Sunday School program for children from one to five years of age during the 9:45 A.M. Mass each Sunday), a Children's choir, Rainbows, Children's Missions, Mother's Day Out and a Youth Mass.

          We thank God for the many people who have given of themselves to make this parish a real community of faith during these past forty years. May God continue to bless us in the year to come!