As of September 19, 2016 we have collected enough money and pledges to go forward with the installation of air-conditioning for the first time in the hundred- year history of our church!
As of January 20, 2017, we need another $35,000 to finish paying for the system.
The faster we can raise this cash, the less money we will have to borrow while waiting on our pledges to be fulfilled. Construction of our new system has been a race against the coming of cold weather! After several days of chilly services in church, we were very relieved when we got our heat finally turned on in November! Now they are finishing the various controls that will allow us to let us to program and regulate the heat.
Some more of the fan coil units will be arriving in January (for the restrooms and handicapped entrance to the hall) and the air-conditioning should be installed in March.
We are praying the installation of our new system goes smoothly with no increase in costs.
St. Bernard Church is a testimony to the long history of the people of Dayton, KY, overcoming challenges to provide a beautiful worship space for God. Now, our heating system has breathed its last and it is our turn to carry forward this tradition.
In its hundred-year history, St. Bernard has also never had air conditioning. Many people go to other parishes for Mass during the dog days of summer, when it becomes unbearably hot in church.
Our goal is to have a new heating system installed by winter, 2016 and air-conditioning before the summer of 2017. We invite generous donors like yourself to help us by making a gift to this project. All donations toward this project will go 100% for this project. If we receive more money than we need for this project, it will go toward desperately needed maintenance (replacing worn out pew kneelers, fixing the side doors of church, further hall renovations…)
Brief History
We outgrew the first church, begun in 1849 under the name of St. Francis. Floods destroyed our second church. Persevering through bankruptcy, we built our current church (St. Bernard) in 1914, which seats over 500. Over the next 18 years, we beautified the church, adding stained glass windows and a new facade. The eight breathtaking, stained glass windows of the Beatitudes were added in the midst of the Great Depression! More about our history can be found at History of SB
Positive Parish Momentum & Signs of Hope
The future of this small, but warm and friendly (191 household), inner city parish is looking increasingly bright. Mass attendance is increasing, new families are joining, and volunteerism is thriving. New home development in the Dayton community also offers renewed hope to the area.
St. Bernard parishioners are not wealthy, but they are committed to their parish, hardworking, and generous in their outreach toward others.
- Bernard also hosts Lenten Fish Fries, which are very well attended !
- Bernard has a very active food pantry that serves 400 local families.
- Old St. Francis Cemetery, which had been neglected for 50 years, is now being cleaned up, reclaimed, and restored by tireless volunteers!
- Recent hall renovations were done completely with volunteer labor. Materials were paid for by a Memorial Tile Fundraiser, which now continues to raise money for a new heating and air-conditioning system.
- The parish has helped a number of priests from India obtain their Master’s Degree in Education from Xavier University. Xavier offers them free tuition and we offer them lodging in exchange for their help in saying Masses.
- From May of 2011, until July, 2016, St. Bernard Church has helped support the launching of a new diocesan religious order, The Missionaries of St. John the Baptist, by housing two priests in the rectory, who celebrate the traditional Latin Mass.
CURRENT CHALLENGE
For safety reasons, our boiler was turned off after our Easter Mass on 3/27/16, leaving our church and school building without heat. It is beyond repair and we will need a new heating system before winter.
All decisions in this regard are being made under the supervision of the Diocese of Covington, who is donating Building and Maintenance expertise, as well as KLH Engineering, which has already performed an Engineering study.
Their combined advice is that we don’t just need a new boiler; the entire system of 100-year-old piping and radiators is worn out. We need a whole new system. The current steam boiler is located in the old school building and heats both the school building and the church.
The recommendation of both the Diocese and KLH Engineering is that we focus on putting a new heating system in the church that will be separate and independent from the school building. This means we will need to add a mechanical room and piping to the church. The church system, designed by KLH Engineering will use quiet, fan-coil units, which will respect the interior sacred architecture of the church. After reviewing initial bids, KLH Engineering estimates this project for heating and air-conditioning at a half million dollars. The AC could be added later, as we raise the needed funds.
We will be consolidating our parish offices, our Food Pantry, and Fr. Siju’s residence, from the old school building, into the rectory, so as to save money on utilities. That way we will not need to spend money on heating the old school building.
Costs
$30,000 Mechanical Room
$22,000 Asbestos & Pipe Removal
$395,000 Heating System for church
$98,000 Air-conditioning
$15,000 Cost overrun
$560,000
Revenue
$525,000 Money received
$35,000 needed to complete our project.
TO MAKE A DONATION
All donations to St. Bernard Church count as charitable donations that are are tax deductible. Make checks out to: “St. Bernard Church,” and be sure to put “HVAC Campaign” or “new Heating system” in the memo. Doing so will insure that 100% of your donation will go toward our new heating system.
Please mail checks to:
St. Bernard Capital Campaign
401 Berry St.
Dayton, KY 40174
(859) 261-8506
The Memorare
Composed by St. Bernard of Clairvaux
REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone
who fled to thy protection, implored thy help,
or sought thy intercession was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
to thee do I come; before thee I stand,
sinful and sorrowful. O Mother
of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but
in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Dear Mary, through the patronage of St. Bernard
of Clairvaux, we entrust our church and this capital campaign to your maternal care. Help us to always live in a manner that is worthy of the promises of your Son, Jesus Christ.
