Stained glass adorns St. Bernard’s Church

ROCKLAND — The Rev. Valmont Gilbert liked his new church all right when he came to St. Bernard’s Church in 1991. It was just that it was a little too close to the police and fire station.

“Every time the police and fire trucks went by, people were distracted,” Gilbert said. The church is within sight of the public safety building, where all of the vehicles come equipped with sirens.

Since he couldn’t move the church or the public safety center, the Rev. Gilbert did the next best thing. He started a $70,000 collection for stained-glass windows. Some doubted that the money could be raised for the project.

The first Catholic church in Rockland, St. David’s, was built in 1858 for a mere $5,000. But the drive was surprisingly successful and the windows were installed last week.

All of the funds were raised by church members, without any parish funds or borrowing required. One visitor left a $2,000 check after hearing the plea for help.

Jim Mercier of Glass Express said the project started in February 1993 and turned out well.

“We chose the blue color as a soothing influence. The church has an unusual number of people coming in for a moment of quiet during the day,” he said, “I think the windows are not distracting from the mass. There are no distinct images, only objects of a more contemplative nature.”

Gilbert said the windows were part of a complete renovation along a sea motif. The new altar includes a hand-carved silver fish. A green carpet was chosen for its similarly to the ocean.

A new speaker system carries the mass into an adjoining hall, for high attendance Sundays.