The present St. Bernard’s church at Frenchtown was dedicated in 1894, but this building was the not the first parish church.  There were actually two other church buildings on different sites than the present.
           
Many of Frenchtown’s settlers immigrated from France bringing with them their Catholic faith.  One of these settlers was Theodore Henriott, who had land at Little St Louis.  His home was the site of the first Mass in 1847 and was celebrated by August Bessionies, pastor of St. Mary’s in Lanesville.  Plans were made to construct a church in Little St. Louis, and some parishioners were buried in a cemetery next to where the church was to be built.  The church was never constructed, and the cemetery was destroyed.
           
At the same time, German Catholics in Ramsey wanted a church located in their town.  The French and German settlers compromised, and a church was built in a small town, then named St. Bernard, close enough to both settlements.  This church was built approximately one mile from the present church on the top of the hill by the Old Cemetery.  When a post office was built in the town, the town was renamed Frenchtown, but the church kept the name St. Bernard.
           
That original church was constructed of yellow poplar logs in 1849 on a two-acre tract donated by John B. Marchery.  Land for the Old Cemetery was donated by Joseph DeHart, and the first pastor was Rev. J. P. Dion, who purchased 22 acres of land from Felicion Henriott for $400.00, which is where the present church and cemetery is located.  In 1880, Father Martin Andres had a second church building constructed on land that is the present church’s cemetery.  It was dedicated in 1881 by Bishop Chatard.  It had to be abandoned a few years after construction due to storm damage and faulty construction. 
           
The third church was constructed on the present church’s site and included a white, frame rectory (which burned taking with it the parish records); a two-room frame schoolhouse, which was closed in 1896; and a frame house for the teaching sisters, the Sisters of Providence.  The present brick rectory replaced the frame house in 1953.  During the residency of Father John Bracher from 1911-1917, the Gothic altars were installed; Father Edwin Spalding enlarged the basement and had a stoker-furnace installed from 1939-1944; Father Feltman had an electric organ installed and started a youth choir; Father Andrew Diezeman enhanced the church grounds and both cemeteries and completed and dedicated the school (now the parish hall) from 1960-1969.  The church’s interior was renovated during the tenure of Father Evrard from 1969-1973.
           
The narthex was added after the successful Legacy of Hope campaign, and the parish hall basement was renovated, and a new kitchen was added.  A meditation garden and benches were added to the area between the church and narthex.  Father Fred Dennison was pastor at this time.
           
From its humble beginnings in the Henriott home to its present site, St. Bernard’s parish has enjoyed a varied and diverse history, but when walking through the Old Cemetery, we still see its French roots.  We see the names of Bary, Bogard, Colin, Nolot, Pate, Pinaire, Thevenot, and Troncin, familiar to us even today. But names such as Bosier, DeHart, Freret, Godier, Marchery, Petitpierre, Robot, and Tratator are lost to us.
List of Pastors:

1. Rev. J.P. Dion (1858-61)
2. Rev. F. Delangier  (1872-77)
3. 1877-78 - no pastor in residence; Father Dion came from St. Croix to say Mass
4. 1878-79 – Father Seegmuller came from Bradford to say Mass
5. Rev. Martin Andres (1880-?)
6. Rev. Maas (1890s)
7. Rev. Liesen (1890s)
8. Rev. John Bracher (1911-1917)
9. Rev. Joseph C. Backert (1929-37)
10. Rev. Edwin Spaldin (1939-44)
11. Rev. Earl Feltman (1950s)
12. Rev. Andrew Diezeman (1960-69)
13. Rev. Donald Evrard (1969-73)
14. Rev. John Fink (1973-82)
15. Rev. Fred Dennison (1982-2006)
16. Rev. John Fink (2006-2013)
17. Rev. Joseph Villa (2013-2016)
18. Rev. Aaron Pfaff ( 2016--)