Fr. David Reichling OFM, Cap.
Pastor
I have been with St. Bernard’s as Pastor since 1982 and St. Cyril & Methodius parish in Ballantine since 1988. I came with the expectation of staying a couple years until the new church was built, but lo and behold, I am still here enjoying so many people & Montana.I am a member of the St. Joseph Province of Capuchin-Franciscans, headquartered in Detroit & one of 9 Capuchins assigned to ministry in Montana from Broadus to Billings, and we gather regularly for prayer and fellowship.
I came here from St. Joe parish in Appleton, Wisconsin, where I was an associate pastor for four years. The parish was 35 miles from my hometown, Fond du Lac, where I grew up with seven siblings, one of whom is also a Capuchin priest in Billings. I was ordained 42 years ago in 1967.
A great joy for me is sharing weekend Eucharist; another is sharing those special moments of joy, and sometimes pain too, in the lives of so many people, with marriages, births & baptisms, first communions, anniversaries, achievements in work & school and sports, reconciliation’s and transitions. Folks open their lives so generously to pastoral attention in the significant moments of their lives. I also enjoy the big sky, sunny dry climate and wide-open spaces of Montana. One of my enjoyable past times is short trips to the mountains and forests with my troop of small dogs.
Mike Mayott
Pastoral Assistant
Mike is retired from the Internal Revenue Service as a Criminal Investigator. He is widowed (Patty Taylor) with two grown stepson’s, Todd (Jami) and Eric. He enjoys Coaching for Magic City Soccer and West High along with refereeing soccer and basketball.
Mike’s duties are to assist the pastor with the day-to-day operations of the parish. He coordinates the Social Justice programs within the parish; with include the Interfaith Hospitality Network, marriage preparation program for engaged couples. He also Coordinates and teaches Financial Peace University as well as assisting on the Liturgy committee.
Bitsy Merchant
Bookkeeper / Business Manager
Bitsy Merchant started her employment with St. Bernard’s in 2002. She had previously worked for St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral. She enjoys working in her home parish among all of her fellow parishioners.
Bitsy is a native Montanan, born in “chilly” northeastern Montana where her parents farmed. She moved to Billings after high school and spent two years working her way through Billings Business College, formerly known as BBC. She worked for Studer construction and Brown’s Auto Service for several years before finally finding her way to “church work.” Her fellow employees used to call her “the church lady.”
Bitsy is the Office Manager and Bookkeeper for St. Bernard’s. She works closely with Fr. David preparing the budget and prepares all financial reports. She is in charge of keeping track of all parishioners, additions, deletions or anything in between. She compiles the Ministry Schedule, edits the newsletters and gets them ready for mailing.
Bitsy is married to Harry and they have four children. Outside of work she finds time to be involved in a great many extra curricular activities. She has been heavily involved with the Cum Christo until a few years ago and is now working with Homeward Bound.
Mary Strauss
Secretary/Receptionist/Bulletin/Web
Mary Strauss joined the parish staff December 1, 2006. She greets visitors; answers questions or directs them to the proper people; handles the telephones and mail; schedules Mass Intentions, records marriages, baptisms, first communions and confirmations in the record books and sends out proper certificates. She emails reminder notes to those who are scheduled as ministers each week and parish council meeting announcements. Mary has been a member of St. Bernard’s for since 1982. She currently is chair for The Worship and Liturgy Committee, is a wedding assistant, is a sacristan, lector and helps out where needed. She has also been a part of the music, taught CCD, headed up RCIA, among a few things.
Mary’s hobbies include photography and sports. She is also involved with Cum Christo and Homeward Bound (ministry at the Women's Prison).
Before joining the parish staff she had been in dentistry for 23 years as an assistant and receptionist. She was born in Missoula, MT and raised in Polson, MT. She graduated from Polson High School and Montana State University – Bozeman, with a degree in teaching. She enjoys traveling back to the Flathead Valley for visits and returning to her roots and what she calls “God’s Country.”
Judy Schwager
Music Director
Judy moved to Billings, MT in August of 2008 to begin working at St. Bernard's. She really likes living in the West! As part of her work at St. Bernard's, Judy plans all music for Masses, prepares the weekly music sheets, sings and plays piano, and directs both the Sunday Choir and the contemporary Praise Band. She is also involved in diocesan events such as the Rite of Election, ordinations to the priesthood, and any diocesan conferences or workshops that occur in Billings.
Prior to working at St. Bernard's, Judy earned a bachelor's degree in music education and a master's degree in music and liturgy. Judy loves to sing, and in addition to singing at church, she is involved in the Rimrock Opera, performing in and around Billings. In her free time, Judy enjoys reading novels, cooking, and sewing. She married her “grad” school sweetheart, Jeremy, in August of 2009. They have a cute dog named Quinn and a crotchety old cat named Buddy, who is also cute, but mostly crotchety.
Brian Shea
DRE / Youth Minister
Brian Shea serves as the DRE and the youth minister here at St. Bernard’s Church. He has been here for the past six years and is in charge of the 5th/6th Grade, Junior High, and High School Youth Groups here at the church. Besides working for St. Bernard’s Church Brian puts on retreats for Billings Central and helps run the Search program. He also occasionally helps work some of the Cum Christo weekends.
Brian graduated high school from Billings Central in 1998 and graduated college from Gonzaga University in 2002. While at Gonzaga he got a major in Religious Studies and minors in History, Sociology, Philosophy, and a Certificate of Youth Ministry. After graduating from Gonzaga, Brian headed to Maine for a year and worked at a homeless shelter and crisis hotline for the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. In the summer of 2006 Brian got married to Erica and the two of them had their first child Grace in April of 2008.
Brian has plenty of experience working in youth ministry. While at Gonzaga he also was the director of the junior high and high school youth groups at St. Aloysius Church for three years, director of Gonzaga’s annual Pilgrimage Retreat for two years, and led a Bible Study all four years. Brian also spent two summers working for the Diocese of Helena as a counselor at Legendary Lodge in 2001 and 2002.
Brian’s interests other than work and family are reading, all sports, board games, road trips and anything that gets him outdoors in God’s creation.
Ann Salisbury
Children’s Faith Formation Director
Ann joined the staff at St. Bernard in April 2009 as Director of Children’s Faith Formation. Her position includes the formation of religious education programs for children in grades K – 4, preparation for the sacraments of reconciliation, Confirmation and first Eucharist, and formation for volunteer catechists. Vacation Bible School is an annual faith-filled summer celebration that Ann especially enjoys!
Previously, Ann served as a catechist for four years teaching second, third and fourth grade in the religious education program at St. Bernard. She and her husband Shane have been members of St. Bernard Church since moving to Billings in 1994. They have two children, Castle and Sophia. They both attend Alkali Creek Elementary School.
Ann (Malisani) Salisbury grew up in Great Falls, the youngest in a Catholic Italian-American family of eight. Faith and family were the foundations of her childhood. Working with Children’s Faith Formation is an opportunity for her to share these gifts and honor the Lord.
Ann graduated from the University of Great Falls in 1990 and Mount Hood College of Mortuary Science in Gresham, Oregon in 1993. Ann has been a licensed mortician for 15 years. She enjoys cooking and eating European-style meals, entertaining guests, tracing family roots, and taking long family hikes and bike rides on Sundays.
Kris Nelson
Adult Faith Formation (RCIA)
Greetings to all who visit this website! I have been involved with RCIA at St. Bernard’s since my own conversion to the Catholic Church in 1999, and took over as coordinator of the program in 2005. My duties include, but are not limited to, creating the RCIA schedule, making sure all of our participants have sponsors, and preparing for the various rites that mark the different phases of the RCIA. In planning the schedule I ask people from the greater Billings Catholic community to come and speak on various topics and to give witness to why their faith is important in their lives. It is with a laugh, and yet true sincerity that I refer to RCIA as “the welcome wagon.” For many people, RCIA is their first encounter with Jesus!
Although I do not have a degree in education, I have spent many years working in the public school system as a classroom aid and as a tutor. One of my most satisfying assignments was piloting a Federal tutoring program for Native American students at West High and Skyview. I have always had a passion for helping others learn and grow and reach their potential, and can think of no better place to use this gift than in the church where it can help people to know God.
On a personal note, I have been married to my husband, Dale since 1980. We are both lifelong residents of Montana and we thoroughly enjoy all that our beautiful state has to offer. We are the proud parents of 5 adult children and one devoted Bassett Hound. I participate in several prayer/study groups here at the church, serve on the education committee, volunteer in the office during weekend Masses, and am a Eucharistic minister. I love to cook, entertain friends and family, am an avid reader, and love music and live theater. I consider my own conversion to the Catholic faith one of my greatest blessings and am ever thankful to found a home at St. Bernard’s.
Priscilla Moorhouse
Parish Nurse
Priscilla Moorhouse has been the Parish Nurse Coordinator since 2000. She had retired from School District #2 that spring after 17 years as a school nurse. Her early years of nursing include floor nurse at St.Vincent's, Public health nurse for the Division of Indian Health at Ft. Washakie, WY and substitute teacher in Worland. She married John, traveled to several other Indian Reservations, and raised 3 children, Judd, Jennie and Mary -Margret. The Moorhouses have been at St. Bernard's for 25years now, active in parish living as past council member, pro-life, CCD teacher and lector. Her favorite time is spent with the 10 grandchildren, fishing, gardening, reading and people.
Don Lewis
Housekeeping
Don started as the custodian at St. Bernard’s around 1996. He does the general cleaning and maintenance of the church. Don has been married to Ellen for 45 years and they have 3 adult children and 8 grandchildren. They are charter members of St. Bernard’s. Don and Ellen like to travel and go camping. But mostly just enjoy spending time with their family.
Maria Dolan
Housekeeping
Maria joined the parish in 1992. She is married to Leonard and they have 4 children. She became involved after a few friends invited here to a “Meet Moms” group. She enjoyed meeting other mothers with children. She soon became involved with other activities. She is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and helps on occasion with the Liturgy/Worship committee. She wanted to give something back to God for all of the blessings that He has bestowed upon her and her family. The opportunity showed up to help with the housecleaning of the interior of the Church. She says it’s nice to be a part of God’s house more often and is very grateful and blessed that she can do her part.