Saint Bernard’s, Tulsa, OK began in 1973 as a mission of Saint Clement’s Parish of Bixby. During the next five years, the people of Saint Bernard’s met weekly for Mass in the chapel of the Vianney School for Girls, a private corrections institution operated by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. The congregation initially numbered about fifty families. In 1978, newly appointed Bishop Eusebius J. Beltran made Saint Bernard’s an independent parish, with Father James White appointed as the first pastor.
A new chapter in parish history began in June 2007. Msgr. Patrick Gaalaas became Saint Bernard’s third pastor as Father Jewitt retired.
Soon after arriving, Msgr. Gaalaas, along with the parish council, developed a survey in 2008. That effort led to the undertaking to put Master Plan 2035 into place in 2009. At that point, Msgr. Gaalaas and parish leaders decided to proceed with the first phase of the new master plan and formed a building committee. By 2011, an architect was in place with plans being drawn. In early 2012, with the first part of the architect’s work nearly complete, Saint Bernard’s engaged the services of a fund raising company to help raise the necessary funds to construct Phase I of Master Plan 2035.
