Saint Bernard Catholic Church

1620 62nd Avenue
Oakland

Archbishop Riordan established Saint Bernard Parish in 1912   Rev. E. J. Nolan, the first pastor started plans for the church immediately.  Noted San Francisco architect, George E. McCrea designed the church as a replica of the Old Carmel Mission.  The general contractor was E. D. Prose. Archbishop Hanna dedicated the new church on September 15, 1916.

The small opalescent glass windows in the choir were probably installed at the time the church was built.

After the parish debt was retired in the mid 1920’s, Church Art Glass Studio, San Francisco, created the stained glass windows in the nave, sanctuary and choir.

By 1950, the church was too small for the parish.  Architect Vincent Buckley devised a plan to expand the church by splitting it in half, moving the sanctuary back, then re-connecting the two parts with more seating space, which matched the original construction.  Contractor C. R. Hills completed the work.  Leakage and structural concerns lead to additional work in 1958.  At the same time, the sanctuary and altar were remodeled.  Architect Fred Howeling designed the changes.

Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio created six more stained glass windows in the expanded area of the church in 1960.

A chapel was added to the convent in 1964.  The chapel design was by Berkeley architect, R. P. Fiedler and Associates and was built by Covarelli Construction, Oakland Mr. Huneke created ten more windows for the chapel.

Rev. Enrique Huerta created several windows for the sacristy, vestibule and rectory in 1992 and 1993.