New Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9AM - 3PM
OFFICE NUMBER - 410-362-8664
PASTOR - REV. MSGR. RICHARD J. BOZZELLI
Ext 115, rbozzelli@archbalt.org
I am blessed and overjoyed to serve as Pastor of St. Bernardine Church. I served here many years ago as a seminarian under the guidance of Msgr. Edward Miller, and I am honored to succeed him in this amazing family of faith. I ask for your prayers as I lead our church family in the way of the Lord.
In addition to Pastor of the parish, I serve as the Archdiocesan Director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) – an anti-poverty program of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. Our local CCHD Committee reviews applications and awards grants to groups working to change systemic structures of poverty in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The Baltimore CCHD also sponsors the Annual Social Ministry Convocation for the Archdiocese. Additionally, I am a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s Seminary & University, from which I graduated in 1993.
My previous assignments include Holy Trinity, Crucifixion, and Good Shepherd parishes in Glen Burnie, and Corpus Christi Church in Baltimore City, all of which I served as pastor. I also was an associate pastor at St. Louis Church in Clarksville and Shrine of the Little Flower in Baltimore.
I was ordained a priest of the Baltimore Archdiocese in June 1994. In addition to St. Mary’s Seminary & University, I attended Harvard Law School and Johns Hopkins University. I practiced law for four years and am still a member of the Maryland State Bar (although I don’t practice anymore). I grew up in the Philadelphia area, and my siblings still live there. “I have two cats, Toby (short for Tov’ya) and Sylvester, and three cockatiels, Beaufort, Sydney, and Morris.”
Retired Deacon- Wardell “Paul” Barksdale, Jr.
I, Wardell “Paul” Barksdale, Jr am a Deacon for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. I have been assigned to St. Bernardine RCC since I was ordained 14 years ago. I have worked as a Master’s Level Social Worker since 1997, providing services for adults and adolescents who were suffering from the disease of addiction and mental illness. I also provided service to the families and others. Former coordinator for the Juvenile Drug Court, Baltimore, Maryland.
I have a Masters in Social work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology from Coppin State University. I was an adjunct at Baltimore City Community College and at Morgan State University Graduate School of Social Work. I was inducted into the Honor Society at Coppin State University. I am a State approved supervisor for addiction professionals; appointed as a commissioner with the City of Baltimore HIV Commission. I was board member for the substance abuse program at Baltimore City Community College and Dundalk Community College. I was a past President and Vice President of the Maryland Addiction Certification Board. I am currently serving on the St. Agnes Hospital Mission Board and the Baltimore Faith Based Commission for Behavioral Health. I have completed the education and skills training for Chaplin for Baltimore City Police Dept.
I was a guest columnist for the Catholic Review Afro-centric page. I have planned and led the St. Bernardine annual men’s retreat for the past 24 years. I was a Peace Corps volunteer for Liberia, West Africa for two years, taught geometry, basic math and reading. I was a physical education teacher; performed coaching duties for track and field, basketball and volleyball.
I was appointed director of a newly formed Addiction Treatment Center (Harambee Treatment Center) in the Park Heights section of Baltimore City for 11 years. Co- authored a number of research articles for new interventions for addiction treatment. Created and led trainings for addiction counselors and related professionals.
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT - DENISE STANLEY
Ext 116, Denise.Stanley@archbalt.org
I am Denise Stanley, affectionately known as “Nana”. I serve as Executive Assistant to our wonderful Pastor, Rev. Msgr. Richard (Fr. Rich) Bozzelli. I also served as the Administrative Assistant to our former beloved Pastor, the late Rev. Msgr. Edward (Fr. Ed) Miller.
I retired in December, 2008 after 32 years in State Government at the Maryland Insurance Administration, serving as Office Supervisor of the Agent Licensing Section for 20 of those years. Since my retirement, I not only was caregiver for my amazingly awesome father, Dr. Hilbert D. Stanley until God called him Home in 2010, but also served and continue to serve on many church ministries, as member, adviser, coordinator and officer. I am proudly an Advanced Certified Youth Minister, and a Catechist (I began as an assistant Sunday school teacher to Pre-K and Kindergarten students, later becoming the 5th grade Reconciliation teacher and after some changes, currently the 3th grade Reconciliation teacher). Equally as proud, I was nominated and received the Mother Lange Award in 2000 for Leadership, 2006 I received the For God and Youth Award from the Archdiocese of Baltimore and humbly received the Joy of the Gospel recognition for Faithfulness from the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2015.
My pride and joy, is my daughter Kesha “Nikki”, who resides in Atlanta. Another joy, was when I had another child join my family; a girl, my feline daughter “Jazzy”, AND even more so, when I became grandmother and great-grandmother to my grand and great-grand pups, Prettyboy, Foxy and the late Prettygirl, in Atlanta. I have been Catholic all of my life and have called St. Bernardine’s home for over 30 years.
DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - Gwen Mullen
Ext 114, Gwen.Mullen@archbalt.org
Hi, I am Gwen Mullen and I am on the staff at St. Bernardine Church as the Director of Religious Education (D.R.E) and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.) . My specific task is to coordinate, supervise and manage the Sunday School Program which includes Sacramental Preparation for First Eucharist, First Reconciliation and Confirmation as well as Religious Education formation for the youth of our parish in grades PreK through 12th. I am a retired public school teacher
Director of Music Ministry- Tony Small
I began playing for the church at the tender age of 6 and became a paid Music Director at 11; today I have over 30+ years of ecumenical expertise from serving as Music Minister/Worship Arts Director for churches with 5,000+ memberships in 6 denominations. I served as the first Regional Artistic Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs for 14 years where I founded the organization’s TAP (Teen Arts Program) and residential camp that received the nation’s highest honor for America’s Top 50 out-of-school Arts and Humanities Award from President Obama’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities in 2016
As a versatile artist, I have had cameo actor appearances on BET shows and HBO’s WIRE television series -- that featured my Booker T. Washington Boys’ Choir on the soundtrack. I am a veteran musical theatre director from Urinetown at John Hopkins University to the WIZ and my original musical debuts on stages across the country. My original musicals, artworks, the Qadar Opera and Holiday performances that have been featured yearly at the Kennedy Center for 10 years -- from the Terrace Theatre to Orchestra Hall.
I am currently the Director for the Pallotti High School Arts Academy in Laurel. My undergraduate university (Anderson University) honored me with the prestigious 2021 music Alumnus Award -- From being selected as one of the White House Millennium Committee’s top Community Playwrights/Composers to receiving the first opera commission as Composer and Librettist/Lyricist from the Smithsonian and Sultanate of Oman, I have served as an Interdisciplinary Artistic Director and Resident Artist worldwide for over 30+ years. I have won national composer/lyricist awards in 4 genres including Jazz, Gospel (Stellar), Classical and Musical Theatre. I am a graduate of the Tony award winning BMI Musical Theatre Project (The New York Times calls the Harvard of Musical Theatre) and the National Arts Strategy Ivy League Executive Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
I have served as a Consultant for Philadelphia’s national Sacred Arts Places pilot, Artistic Director for the Historic Madame Walker Theatre Center in Indianapolis, Director of Worship Arts & Outreach at Sherman St. Church in Indiana, Executive Director for the Bethel Outreach Center in Baltimore, Lecturer of Fine Arts at Chicago Loyola University, Training Director for the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Linkages Program (a national STEM pilot) and partnership with Chicago Loyola University’s Center for Urban Research, Artistic Director for the La St. WIZ Factory (serving over 300 youth from the Cabrini housing projects), Founding Director of the Urban League’s Camp Smart (North Chicago/Waukegan) and as an Arts Educator in Chicago public and private schools.
PARISH SECRETARY and Bookkeeper -DEJAH REED
Ext 120, Dejah.Reed@Archbalt.org
I am Dejah Reed and I have been a member of St. Bernardine Catholic Church since 2001. I came to St. Bernardine through my marriage to Carl Reed Sr. I have one son, Carl Reed Jr., known as CJ. I became the Parish Secretary in May 2016. I have worked a few places in my lifetime but I must say I think I finally found a good fit. I look at my responsibilities as ministry not just another job. It is an honor to serve in this parish. As a child, I was always taught “Only what you do for Christ will last”. I am also a licensed cosmetologist. I have been a stylist for 17 years and I still practice in the industry. I love doing hair, singing, traveling, and fellowshipping with family and friends.
Facilities Supervisor - Joel Williams
Hi, my name is Joel E. Williams and I am a member of the staff here at St. Bernardine R.C. Church. I am the Facilities Supervisor for the church and its associated properties. I bring to my job, skills acquired from experience at various jobs and training programs, beginning with the Neighborhood Youth Corp., Job Corp, Laborers Union Local #516, Carpenters Union Local #544, and before starting at St. Bernardine’s School, Steel Toe Construction.
I was originally asked to join the staff by the late beloved Monsignor Edward Miller; it has been my pleasure to serve in any capacity that needed a hand, since August 20, 2001. My beloved wife Danna of 15 years and I share a blended family of 4 daughters, 2 sons, 4 grands and 1 great grand. My wife Danna is also a member of St. Bernardine’s and serves as a Eucharistic Minister.
CUSTODIAN - VINCENT GRIFFiN
I am Vincent Griffin. I was invited to St. Bernardine’s by my mother (Queen Holt) and sister (Delores “Dee” Hawthorne) in 2003 and I became a member in 2004. In 2005, I was given the opportunity to work for St. Bernardine Catholic School by “my boss” and friend, the late Monsignor Edward Miller, until its closing in 2010.
It has been an honor and privilege to be blessed with the opportunity to transition from the school, to the church as the Custodian. I continue to be blessed under the guidance of Monsignor Richard Bozzelli and my entire church family.
Information Technology Coordinator - Valerie Anderson
I am Valerie Anderson “Aunt Val”. and I have been a member of St. Bernardine since 1974 and have volunteered in many capacities but my greatest volunteer experience has been as the youth minister. Now, I am on the staff at St. Bernardine Church as the Information Technology Coordinator. My specific task is to coordinate, supervise and manage technology related tasks, which includes Hardware (computers, Software (programs), Webpage, technology training and Live Streaming.