St. Bernadette (Diocese of Arlington)

Saint Bernadette Catholic Church
Dedication:	Saint Bernadette Soubirous
Venerated Saints:	Our Lady of Lourdes
Diocese:	Diocese of Arlington
Deanery:	Deanery 4
Address:	7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA 22152
Coordinates:	38.8000, -77.2000
City:	Springfield, VA
Subdivision:	Virginia
Country:	United States
County:	Fairfax County
Website:	https://www.stbernpar.org/
Founded:	1963
School:	Yes
Email:	office@stbernpar.org

Saint Bernadette Catholic Church is a territorial parish in the Diocese of Arlington, located in Springfield, Virginia. Dedicated to Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the nineteenth-century French visionary of the Lourdes apparitions—canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI for her humility, obedience, and witness to the Immaculate Conception—the parish operates Saint Bernadette Catholic School (pre-K through grade 8) and emphasizes Marian devotion, particularly to Our Lady of Lourdes.

Established in 1963 to serve the growing Catholic population in Springfield, the parish initially celebrated Masses in local facilities before dedicating its current church building. As of December 19, 2025, Saint Bernadette offers extensive ministries, including religious education, youth programs, and charitable outreach.

The parish community fosters devotion to its patroness through celebration of her feast on April 16 and reflection on the Lourdes message of prayer, penance, and care for the sick.

History

Saint Bernadette Parish was established in 1963 by the Diocese of Richmond (predecessor to the Diocese of Arlington for this area until 1974) to accommodate population growth in Springfield.

The current church building was dedicated subsequently. Saint Bernadette Catholic School opened to provide faith-integrated education.

The parish has grown with the community, maintaining a focus on education and evangelization.

School

Saint Bernadette Catholic School (pre-K through grade 8) provides faith-integrated education within the parish community.

The school emphasizes academic excellence and spiritual formation.

Special features

• Strong Marian devotion, particularly to Our Lady of Lourdes
• Active religious education and youth ministries
• Charitable outreach programs

Architecture

The church building reflects mid-to-late twentieth-century design suited to suburban parish life.

Art and devotional features

Specific details on stained glass windows, statues, sculptures, or other interior artwork are limited in publicly available sources as of December 19, 2025. Devotional elements typically include representations of Saint Bernadette Soubirous, often portraying her in prayer before Our Lady of Lourdes, and imagery of the Lourdes apparitions, reflecting the verified historical events of 1858 and Church approval.

Relics

According to established Catholic tradition, the main altar contains deposited relics, as is customary in dedicated churches. Specific details regarding the saints associated with these relics are not publicly documented in available sources. This follows common practice where first-class relics, often of martyrs, are sealed within the altar.