An updated Adoration Schedule is in the vestibule. We have many open hours available for you to spend time alone with Jesus. Call the office to let us know what time you are choosing.
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting us at Saint Bernadette Church, which is a Roman Catholic parish located in Bayou Vista - between Patterson and Berwick, Louisiana,
in the Diocese of Lafayette . St. Bernadette Church continues the Sacramental Traditions of Jesus Christ as handed down by the Apostles, we strive to live lives of Communion and Participation as we seek to fulfill the mission bestowed upon us by Christ.
Our Pastor is Father Conner Poirrier.
The Liturgy of the Word for The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This day was once called Corpus Christi, which is Latin for "Body of Christ." Corpus Christi is dedicated to honoring the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It emphasizes the joy of 'transubstantiation' - the belief that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Christ.
This is the mystery that is at the heart of our Eucharistic theology. In the elements of bread and wine, Jesus' Body and Blood are truly present. When we share in the Body and Blood of Christ, Jesus himself comes to dwell within us. This communion with the Lord makes us one body, brings us eternal life, and sends us forth to be Christ's Body in the world.
First Reading
Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a
Moses tells the people to remember how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Though many, we are one body when we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ.
Gospel Reading
John 6:51-58
Jesus says, "I am the living bread."
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
John 6:51-58
A Message from Father Poirrier
Grace and peace in Jesus Christ, my name is Father Poirrier and I am glad to say that I am the new pastor for St. Bernadette! I was ordained a priest on June 5, 2021 for the Diocese of Lafayette, and Bishop Deshotel has graciously placed me here to serve this community of Bayou Vista.
Originating from Scott, I went to high school at Acadiana High after which I discerned the priesthood, entered the seminary, and graduated from St. Joseph's Seminary in 2017 and from Notre Dame Graduate Seminary in 2021. Eight years of schooling and mission work has helped prepare me for my life as a priest.
Some of my favorite hobbies are hunting, cooking, and being with people. I am blessed to have the opportunity to get to know you all and be involved in the many ministries that are here and thriving already. Being present to you all is something I am very much looking forward to.
I am glad that God has placed me here to walk with you all in your relationship with Him. If there is one thing that I wish to communicate in this writing, it is this: I would like to be a bridge between you and Jesus. I will do my best to get to know as many of you as possible while being here, and I will try to deliver my best in regards to preaching, teaching and living the faith. Please feel free to reach out to me whenever you would like. Be assured that I am here for you, Father Poirrier is your priest.
Again, I am excited about being here and hope to be able to walk with you all. Be assured of my love and prayers for you and your families. Please remember me in yours. God Bless!
Archbishop Dominic Tang, a fearless Chinese prelate, endured twenty-one years of imprisonment for nothing more than his unwavering loyalty to Christ and His Church. After five long years of solitary confinement in a dark, airless cell, his captors offered him a few precious hours of freedom.
Imagine-after years of isolation, a brief return to life! What would he choose? A warm shower? Fresh clothes? A walk beneath the open sky? A chance to reach his loved ones? "What would you like?" the jailer asked. Without hesitation, Archbishop Tang replied, "I would like to say Mass." For him, the Holy Eucharist was truly the Bread of Life. Given freedom, he chose the altar.
Before his death, Jesus entrusted us with two priceless gifts: the Holy Eucharist as our spiritual nourishment on Holy Thursday, and His Mother Mary as our spiritual mother on Good Friday. Today's Feast of Corpus Christi proclaims the living presence of our loving God-Emmanuel, "God with us." With one heart, we thank the Lord for remaining with us in the Eucharist.
Food of Sustenance: In the Old Covenant, bread and wine were offered in sacrifice as signs of grateful recognition to God, the Creator of all. Melchizedek, both priest and king, presented bread and wine to God. Moses reminded the Israelites of Yahweh's faithful care in the wilderness, teaching them that survival was possible only through God's provision.
He urged them to remember the extraordinary gift of manna. Receiving it daily taught them trust in God's constant care. When they tried to hoard it, it spoiled overnight-a vivid lesson against self-reliance. Yet before the Sabbath, God doubled the provision, inviting them to rest and give thanks.
The Gospel contrasts this manna with the Eucharist. Those who ate the manna died; those who partake of Jesus, the Bread of Life, will live forever. In ancient worship, food offered to a deity was shared among the people, expressing participation in the divine. When Jesus invited His followers to receive His Body and Blood, He revealed His divinity and called them into communion with it.
To receive the Eucharist is to welcome Christ into our very being-to embrace His vision, His values, His purpose. Then we can echo St. Paul: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." A profound bond is formed. This is the heart of the Eucharist: total union with Christ in mind and life. Belonging to Him means becoming living members of His Body-loving, serving, and caring for one another while bearing witness to His truth.
Please go to thaisprings.info to read the entire sermon.
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Food of Sustenance:
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The Communal Meal:
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Strengthening the Community:
"A vocation is not a fixed point, but a dynamic process of maturation sustained by intimacy with our Lord. To grow in one's vocation means being with Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to act in our hearts and in the circumstances of life, and reinterpreting everything in light of this gift."
✞ Pope Leo XIV
Everyone Has a Divine Vocation
"Jesus has a specific task in life for each and every one of us. Each one of us is hand-picked, called by name by Jesus! There is no one among us who does not have a divine vocation! Some are called audibly by God, but the usual kind of call is internal, through the inner working of the Spirit."
✞ Homily by Pope Saint John Paul II
I KEEP ROSARIES TUCKED AWAY IN SEVERAL PLACES - IN MY CAR, IN MY DESK DRAWER, IN THE POCKET OF MY COAT - READY WHEN I NEED THEM.
Each mystery of the rosary calls us not just to remember the life of Christ, but to be transformed by it. When I pray the rosary, I'm reminded of our faith's call to mercy, to humility, to sacrifice. And that doesn't stay in the chapel or the car - it moves into daily life.
This year, with our 2026 Bishop's Services Appeal theme Holding the Faith: Decades of Prayer & Service, we reflect on how our collective acts of charity form a powerful chain, much like the rosary itself.
Every act of generosity is like a bead on the rosary, creating the chain of prayer and service that is the Diocese of Lafayette. Your gift becomes more than a donation - it becomes a whispered prayer that links us in an unbroken circle of faith. In this, you bring the Mysteries of the Rosary to life.
Honoring the Queen of Heaven: The Tradition of May Crowning
In May, a month of renewal-of new life and new beginnings-blossoms return and creation awakens. This is when the Catholic Church turns with love and reverence to the Blessed Virgin Mary-our Mother and Queen. Among the most cherished devotions of this season is the May Crowning, a time-honored tradition that lifts our hearts toward heaven through Mary, who always leads us to her Son.
For generations, parishes, schools, and families around the world have marked the month of May with processions, hymns, and flower offerings in honor of Mary. At the heart of these celebrations is the crowning of a statue of the Blessed Virgin-a visible sign of our love for the one who is both Mother of God and Queen of Heaven. We crown Mary because she is, in every way, a queen-not in the worldly sense, but in the kingdom of God. As the Mother of Jesus, the King of Kings, Mary holds a unique and exalted place. Her perfect discipleship, her faithful "yes" to God's will, and her enduring presence with the Church make her the crown of all creation. ✞ St. John's Seminary Blog
Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, oh Maria.
Hail, mother of mercy and of love, oh Maria.
Triumph all ye cherubim, Sing with us ye seraphim.
Heaven and earth resound the hymn.
Salve, Salve, Salve Regina.
The beautiful tradition of May Crowning reflects the beauty of the 5th Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary which it evokes. Honoring Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth, honors her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ Who first crowned her as His Queen. Adorning Our Lady with a crown of flowers is a custom of great devotion to Our Holy Mother and recalls the beauty of her love for us during difficult times in the world.
Our Lady always guides as a loving Mother. Her Immaculate Heart and her maternal beauty will always triumph over the ugliness of sin and suffering.
As we crown the Blessed Virgin on Mother's Day, we ask that she intercede for us to her Son.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto 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.
Holiness demands a constant effort, but it is possible for everyone because, rather than a human effort, it is first and foremost a gift of God, thrice holy. The Apostle John remarks: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. It is God, therefore, who loved us first and make us his adoptive sons in Jesus. Everything in our lives is a gift of his love: how can we be indifferent before such a great mystery? How can we not respond to the heavenly Father's love by living as grateful children? In Christ, he gave us the gift of his entire self and calls us to a personal and profound relationship with him. Consequently, the more we imitate Jesus and remain united to him the more we enter into the mystery of his divine holiness. We discover that he loves us infinitely, and this prompts us in turn to love our brethren. Loving always entails an act of self-denial, "losing ourselves," and it is precisely this that makes us happy….
In truth, the blessed par excellence is only Jesus. He is, in fact, the true poor in spirit, the one afflicted, the meek one, the one hungering and thirsting for justice, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemaker. He is the one persecuted for the sake of justice.
The Beatitudes show us the spiritual features of Jesus and thus express his mystery, the mystery of his death and Resurrection, of his Passion and the joy of his Resurrection. This mystery, which is the mystery of true blessedness, invites us to follow Jesus and thus to walk toward it. To the extent that we accept his proposal and set out to follow him—each one in his own circumstances—we too can participate in his blessedness. With him, the impossible becomes possible and even a camel can pass through the eye of a needle; with his help, only with his help can we become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.
One of the greatest graces for our parish is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in our chapel.
To quote Pope John Paul II; "We come here to meet the Heart of Jesus pierced for us, from which water and blood gush. It is the redeeming love, which is at the origin of salvation, of our salvation, which is at the origin of the Church. Now still today, the living Christ loves us and presents His Heart to us as the source of our redemption… We are called not only to meditate and contemplate on this mystery of Christ's love; we are called to take part in it. It is the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the center of our Faith, the center of our worship of Christ's merciful love manifested in His Sacred Heart, a mystery which is adored here night and day. In the Eucharist – this is also the meaning of perpetual adoration – we enter the movement of love from which all interior progress and all apostolate efficacy springs."
Mother Teresa taught "When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now."
This examination of conscience is not intended merely as a checklist to be used prior to confession. The purpose of this examination is to help souls to know what actions or attitudes are sinful and the gravity of the particular sin. The hope is that this knowledge will serve to keep people from committing these sins.
* Three things are necessary for a sin to be mortal: 1. Serious matter (things listed on this sheet); 2. Knowledge or firm belief that the act is seriously wrong prior to committing the act; 3. Full consent to the will.
All three of these conditions must be present simultaneously for a sin to be mortal. This means that if you did not know the act was seriously wrong, then you are not guilty of having committed a mortal sin. If you did not will the act, e.g., if you were forced or if it was in a dream, you are not guilty of having committed a mortal sin.
All mortal sins committed since your last confession must be confessed by both type and number, i.e., the title of the sin and how many times it was done. If there is a mortal sin from the past that was forgotten and has not been confessed, it should be confessed at your next confession. It is not necessary to confess venial sins, but it is a good and pious practice.
There's an old saying that goes, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic." Maybe you have been away from the Church for a little while or quite some time, but somehow you now feel a tug at your heart calling you back home to the Catholic Church. That's why we're here.
Whether or not you know you want to return to the Catholic Church, we're here to help you take that second look. That mysterious pull inside you, driving you to look into your faith once more, comes directly from God. Your Heavenly Father is yearning for a relationship with you again, in the Church founded by Jesus 2000 years ago. He's waiting for you with open arms. Please Read More...
The Mass Explained
When someone wants to show you their affection and friendship, they invite you to their home. There are two important things which occur next: conversation and a meal. In the celebration of the Mass, it is Jesus who invites us to participate in his friendship, during which we also encounter these two important moments: conversation, which is when Jesus speaks to us through his Word and we respond with our prayers; and a meal, when Jesus offers us the Eucharistic banquet giving us his Body and Blood.
Laws that permit or promote abortion, infanticide, human cloning, destructive embryo research or physician-assisted suicide ignore the sanctity of each human life and undermine the foundation of a just and healthy society. As citizens and people of faith, each of us should actively advance our convictions in the public square in every legitimate and ethical way. We should rededicate ourselves to upholding the sanctity of human life, and hold those elected to represent us to the same standard. Please Read More...
Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics
This voter's guide helps you cast your vote in an informed manner consistent with Catholic moral teaching.
This voter's guide identifies five issues involving "non-negotiable" moral values in current politics and helps you narrow down the list of acceptable candidates, whether they are running for national, state, or local offices. Please Read More...
Weekly Reflection
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
John 6:51-52
It must have been shocking to Jesus' listeners the first time He boldly proclaimed that He would give His flesh as spiritual food. Their reaction makes this clear: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus did not back down or soften what He had just proclaimed. Instead, He began a lengthy and direct discourse, starting with these words:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him."(John 6:53-56)
What would you have thought had you been among the first hearers? We're told the people quarreled, indicating division. Some, we later read, murmured among themselves, saying: "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" And tragically, many of Jesus' disciples left Him and returned to their former way of life (cf. John 6:60-66).
Despite this apparent failure and loss of disciples, Jesus did not retract or revise His teaching. Instead, He turned to the Twelve and asked if they too wished to leave. Peter, with clarity and faith, responded with one of the most profound statements of discipleship in all of Scripture: "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God" (cf. John 6:67-69).
In many ways, Peter's words are as important for us today as Jesus' own words introducing the Eucharist. Why? Because Peter shows us how to respond when we encounter divine mysteries beyond human understanding. The Eucharist is one of the most central of these mysteries.
Do you believe in the Eucharist? Do you believe that it is truly the flesh and blood of the Son of God-His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity? Though many of us have learned this teaching from childhood and accept it on some level, few penetrate the depth of the mystery we behold at every Mass. Saint John Vianney spoke beautifully of the Eucharist, revealing his profound reverence for this Gift: "If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy." And: "There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us." He also said: "How beautiful it is! After the Consecration, the good God is there as He is in Heaven."
It's easy to approach the Holy Mass out of routine rather than with the depth of faith possessed by the saints. But that must be our goal. We must believe that we would truly "die of joy" if we understood the Mass.
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi is our annual invitation to step back and reflect on what we believe-and how devoutly we participate in the Mass and receive Holy Communion. We need this reminder so that our worship and faith do not grow lax.
Reflect today on Jesus' unwavering clarity: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you." Believe what He says. The Eucharist is not a symbol; it is the greatest Divine Mystery on earth. In the Eucharist, we kneel before God and consume Him-so that we may become what we eat: the Mystical Body of Christ.
Jesus, Lamb of God, I believe and profess that Your saving Sacrifice is made present to me in every celebration of the Eucharist. You are the New and Eternal Passover Lamb, whose Blood marks our souls and frees us from eternal death. Open my mind to understand and my heart to believe, so that I may share ever more fully in this Sacred Mystery. Jesus, I trust in You.
Source: mycatholic.life
Father Poirrier's 5th Anniversary of Ordination
The Feast of Corpus Christi
The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a Catholic celebration of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist-and thus a sacred reminder that in every Mass Jesus' one sacrifice of Calvary is sacramentally made present and offered anew for "the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit" (CCC 1366).
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and life-giving fountain of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, and glowing furnace of love, Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary. O adorable and glorious Savior, consume my heart with that burning fire that ever inflames Thy Heart. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love. Let my heart be so united with Thine that our wills may be one, and mine may in all things be conformed to Thine. May Thy Will be the rule of both my desires and my actions. - St. Alphonsus Liguori
The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). This is a moveable Solemnity that honors the Sacred Heart. Saint Pope John Paul II, a great devotee of the Sacred Heart, said, "This feast reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for the people of all times."
~ ourladyofhopegrafton.org.
Youth Faith Formation
2026-2027 Faith Formation Classes Calendar, class schedule and Registration information coming soon!
Regular attendance at Mass is an essential part of showing your child what being a Catholic is about.
If you have any questions regarding Religious Education, please call Becky at 395-2470.
Get Involved-
Catholics have a long history of action - feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, caring for the poor, praying for souls. Are you doing all you can to help? If not, find out if there is a parish ministry that could use your time, talent, or treasure. Catholics are meant to make a difference.
Lay people who place their time and talent as acolytes (altar servers), lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, cantors, choir members, instrumentalists, and ushers become more fully in union with Christ and with each other.
Our current ministers are ready to partner up with any and all who are willing to say yes. At one time, we were all nervous and feared stepping into the sanctuary of the church - some of us are still nervous today. You don't have to do it alone. We will support and guide you.
Knights
of Columbus
Knights of Columbus Council 6211 is located in Bayou Vista, La. We are currently recruiting new members from the Parish.
Monthly Meetings for the Bayou Vista Knights Council are held on the 1st Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m.
Location for the meeting is at 113 Sunset Rd, Bayou Vista, LA 70380. KC Council 6211 Contact Info... Knights
of Columbus Info...
St. Bernadette Parsih Pastoral Council and Finance Committee
Holiness demands a constant effort, but it is possible for everyone because, rather than a human effort, it is first and foremost a gift of God, thrice holy. The Apostle John remarks: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. It is God, therefore, who loved us first and make us his adoptive sons in Jesus. Everything in our lives is a gift of his love: how can we be indifferent before such a great mystery? How can we not respond to the heavenly Father's love by living as grateful children? In Christ, he gave us the gift of his entire self and calls us to a personal and profound relationship with him. Consequently, the more we imitate Jesus and remain united to him the more we enter into the mystery of his divine holiness. We discover that he loves us infinitely, and this prompts us in turn to love our brethren. Loving always entails an act of self-denial, "losing ourselves," and it is precisely this that makes us happy….
One of the greatest graces for our parish is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in our chapel. 
The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a Catholic celebration of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist-and thus a sacred reminder that in every Mass Jesus' one sacrifice of Calvary is sacramentally made present and offered anew for "the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit" (CCC 1366).
