1843

• First Mass said in Watertown and St. Bernard’s Congregation organized.

1843-44

• First church edifice in Watertown, St. Bernard’s erected. Founding parishioners were mostly Irish and Yankee.

1846

• St. Bernard’s acquires resident pastor and becomes officially a parish.

Late 1840’s

• First rectory was built, adjacent to church.

1850

• Strong growth of parish requires addition to church.

1857

• St. Bernard’s opens its first school house.

1860

• Balconies are installed at sides and rear of church. Pews replace benches. Steeple is added, with gilded cross on top.

1872

• Holy Cross Fathers come to St. Bernard’s.

1873

• Construction of St. Bernard’s Church begins. The cornerstone comes from the Rock of Cashel in Ireland.

1876

• Dedication of St. Bernard’s Church.

1883

• Rectory is built.

1892

• Old School building is erected.

1906

• St. Bernard’s Cemetery Association formed.

1920

• St. Bernard’s reverts to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

1928

• St. Bernard’s is returned to the care of the Holy Cross Fathers.

1946

• Centennial of the Parish is celebrated. History written by Father Meagher.

1958

• Rectory purchased from the Soliday family.

1960

• New school building erected.

1964

• First Parish Advisory Board created, consisting of Pastor, Asst. Pastor, two lay trustees and ten lay members of the Parish.

1971

• St. Bernard’s School drops 7th and 8th grades.
• Modern Summerfest programs begin.

1972

• School debt retired.
• Extraordinary Ministers of Eucharist established.

1973

• Centennial celebration of the laying of the cornerstone of St. Bernard’s.
• First professional full-time Religious Education Director is hired.

1974

• Exterior cleaning and restoration of the Church is done.
• Steeple fire causes sensation in Watertown.
• Bingo begins on a regular basis.

1976

• Church grounds are landscaped.
• Confirmation for high school juniors begins.

1977

• Renovation of back chapel.
• Implementation of the “Common Policy for Pastoral Marriage Preparation”.

1978

• St. Bernard’s has first lay principal.
• Organ at St. Bernard’s is rebuilt and dedicated.

1979

• St. Bernard’s Church is redecorated and liturgically updated.

1980

• Front deck, steps and stone wall of Church are replaced.
• St. Bernard’s School opens Kindergarten.

1981

• Jeff Allen becomes the school’s first lay male principal.

1982

• The new parish garage is built.
• School hosts first Forensics Night

1984

• Holy Cross Fathers announce withdrawal from St. Bernard’s in June, 1985.
• Board of Education issues a new mission statement, “That We Might Hope”.
• Fall “Turkey Club” is started.
• Parish Halloween Dance is a hit.

1985

• A new Parish Council Constitution and By-laws are adopted.
• First Parish Pictorial Directory is planned.
• Diocesan priest, Father Thomas Marr, assigned as Pastor of St. Bernard’s by Bishop Cletus O’Donnell.
• Roof of new school is replaced.

1986

• Rectory renovated, becomes convent for sisters.
• Convent becomes Parish Center / Rectory.
• Parish Board begins work on establishing a parish “Vision” of the future.
• R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation) is instituted.

1987

• Restoration of church’s stained glass windows begins.
• New sound system is installed in Church.
• Gym roof replaced.

1988

• Exterior of church tuck-pointed, caulked and sealed.
• Second floor of Parish Center renovated into apartment for Pastor.

1989

• Parish Board restructured into Parish Council with emphasis on pastoral concerns and decisions made by consensus.
• St. Bernard’s School among first in Diocese to undertake Self Study Accreditation Program.
• First St. Patrick’s Day Auction and Raffle.
• Watertown Little Rock Scripture Program is started.
• Old parking lot replaced.

1990

• Renovation of Activity Room, Nursery Rooms and Scout Rooms in old school.
• Establishment of “Extended Care” Program.
• Renovation of first floor Parish Center offices and meeting rooms.
• Plans started for Parish Sesquicentennial.
• St. Bernard’s Congregation Educational Endowment Foundation, Inc., becomes a reality.
• St. Bernard’s second Pictorial Directory is published.

1992

• Bishop Cletus O’Donnell passes away after serving as the second Bishop of Madison for 25 years.
• St. Bernard’s Cecilian Choir (under the leadership of Cliff Lueck, director and Erma Large, organist) celebrate 100th Anniversary.
• Sr. Virginia Brunner S.S.S.F. celebrates 50th Jubilee as member of the School Sisters of St. Francis.
• St. Bernard’s Parish begins year long celebration of its 150th anniversary.

1993

• St. Bernard’s concludes many Sesquicentennial events with special Mass and reception. Bishop George Wirz presides.
• Bishop William H. Bullock becomes 3rd Bishop of Diocese of Madison.
• Charles Wallman’s wonderful history of St. Bernard’s Parish “Built on Irish Faith” is published.
• St. Bernard’s is one of the first 25 schools statewide to be fully accredited by the Wisconsin nonpublic School Accrediting Association (WNSAA).

1994

• Five Small Church Communities formed at St. Bernard’s with about 40 people involved.

1995

• St. Bernard’s School established Preschool Program.
• Name of deceased members remembered in “Book of Life”, placed in vestibule of church.
• Mary McFarland retires as Coordinator of Religious Education Preschool-5th grade and Nancy DeCono assumes position of C.R.E.
• Connie Koopmans becomes C.R. E. for grades 6-132 and Director of Youth Ministry.
• Fr. Thomas Marr celebrates 25th Jubilee of Ordination to the Priesthood.

1996

• Diocese of Madison celebrates 50th Jubilee with year-long schedule of events.
• Capitol Fund Drive undertaken to replace church / school boiler and other necessary renovation projects on church and school buildings. Projects include: new school lighting, repair of church steeple, tuck-pointing and sealing of church exterior, painting of interior church walls.

1997

• Broken water pipe in Rectory / Parish Center necessitates major clean-up and repair project.
• 10,000 gallon oil tank removed from ground next to church.
• Final stage of stained glass window restoration (last 16 windows) in church is done.
• Boiler replacement project is done.
• Parish’s third pictorial directory is published.
• School parades downtown for St. Patrick’s Day

1998

• Tuck-point east front of church.
• Repair gutters on church.
• Caryl Getchell is added as full time Director of Religious Education
• Rebecca Whelpley is hired as full time Music Minister.
• Elementary Aide added to faculty of school.

1999

• Restoration of rectory front porch and car port.
• Charles Wallman selected first Grand Marshall for School’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• Complete second Self Study Accreditation.

2000

• New flat roof on school.
• New roof on entry to chapel.
• Restoration of church stained glass windows completed.
• Landscaping of grounds
• New boiler in Rector
• Charles Hagen is St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• Education Specialist added to faculty of school.
• All classrooms fitted with wall mounted TV’s and Video recorders.

2001

• Electrical upgrade in old school
• Electrical and internet upgrade in Computer Room.
• New sound system in church completed.
• Restoration of rectory
• Church windows on north and west and side and front doors painted.
• New hardware on church doors.
• Joe Darcey is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall
• School computers networked with copier.
• Installed exhaust fans in boys and girls wash rooms in old school.
• Installed TV cameras in school for security.

2002

• Painted convent side porch and west addition.
• Completion of recovered murals in church.
• Began receiving school lunches from St. Henry’s.
• Installed Pottery kiln for Art classes.
• Joe Meyers is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall

2003

• Painted arches in church.
• Installed sink in Preschool.
• Sealed playground / parking lot.
• Tuck-pointed church stairs.
• Added School Counselor to staff of school.
• Added 3 year old Preschool to St. Bernard’s.
• Clarence and Mary Mess are Grand Marshalls for St. Patrick’s Day Parade

2004

• Remodeled school office areas.
• Remodeled boys and girls bathrooms in new school building.
• Wall of Saints with fountain dedicated.
• Lisa Kleinschmidt is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall

2005

• Added lighting, storage and painted Extended Care Rooms.
• Bill Ehlinger & Steve Schleicher are Grand Marshalls for St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• St. Henry and St. Bernard’s Joint Mission
• Sr. Virginia Brunner retires and leaves St. Bernard’s.
• School Computer lab dedicated to Marge Reichardt for her donation.
• Parish hires Groth Design Group to complete Needs Assessment Study.
• Basketball backboards attached to outside Gym wall.
• Parish hires Al Reinhard as Business Administrator & Adult Ed Coordinator

2006

• 3rd Accreditation for School
• Bill Connor is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall
• Purchased brick house (203 South Montgomery)
• Change in classroom location
• Divided Art and Music Room and moved Music to lower level
• Added lockers for 2nd grade
• 6th grade eliminated

2007

• Added session of 4K for W.U.S.D.
• Converted classroom to 4K/3 year olds
• Sister Virginia Brunner is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall
• Added security system to day care
• Shrove Tuesday School Pancake Races and Parish Pancake Dinner/Talent Show Tradition begins
• New tables and chairs for gym
• Purchased wood frame house on Emmet St.
• Corpus Christi procession with St. Henry’s (now yearly event)

2008

• Installed new gym ceiling
• Brian Wolhaupter is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall
• Painted south windows of church outside
• Installed new boiler controls

2009

• Smart Board Technology added to school program
• Painted north windows outside church
• Cathy Egan is St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshall
• Fr. Tom goes on Administrative leave
• Fr. Brian helps out until the end of the year
• Lou Warpinski hired as full time Parish Accountant

2010

• Monsignor Daniel Ganshert becomes pastor
• School adds 3rd 4K Session
• Facility Engineering, Inc. completes church roofing and spire assessment
• Monsignor Ganshert is St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall
• Monsignor Ganshert moves to 110 S. Church St.
• Terese Markl becomes Pastoral Associate
• Remodeling at Parish Center; kitchen removed and office added
• Michele McFarland becomes co-Religious Education Coordinator with Monsignor Ganshert
• St. Bernard’s and St. Henry’s hold joint Parish Mission in November.
• “Aspire” campaign begins with goal to replace the church roof and repair steeple.
• Parish pictorial directory is published.

2011 

• “Aspire” Kickoff & Victory Dinners held in gym (Over 1.6 million dollars pledged.)
• Work begins on church roof and copper shingles added to steeple.
•  Fr. Jorge Miramontes arrives and will serve both Watertown Catholic parishes with Monsignor Ganshert

2012

• Sharon Darcey selected as grand marshal off St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
• Successful Parish Auction raises money for new roof for historic old school building.

(Updated 05/06/13)