What a difference a half-century makes. In 1959, there was no Springfield Mall, and Tyson’s Corner was just a rural crossroads nearly a decade away from welcoming the first customers to Tyson’s Corner Center. George Mason College was a branch of the University of Virginia, and the only way to fly in or out of the metropolitan area was through Washington National Airport.

It was a big year for nearly 500 Catholics in the quiet Washington, D.C., suburb of Springfield, when Father Francis Bradican became the founding pastor of St. Bernadette Parish.

The church has grown to nearly 8,500 parishioners since Father Bradican turned over the first shovelful of dirt. Many were at the church last Thursday as Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde commemorated the parish’s 50 years.

The combined choirs of St. Bernadette sang “Welcome to the Water” as Bishop Loverde and priests of the diocese were escorted to the altar by an honor guard of fourth-degree Knights of Columbus from the Springfield Council.

It was a multicultural evening with prayers and songs in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Korean.

The bishop welcomed everyone saying, “What a marvelous moment in your lives. How joyous I am to be in your presence.”

In his homily, the bishop said it’s appropriate that the parish was founded in the spring of 1959. Spring is the time of planting and the seeds sown 50 years ago “have produced a rich harvest.”

The bishop reminded worshippers that their church’s patron, St. Bernadette, “went home to God,” on this day (April 16) 130 years ago.

Before Mass was dismissed, and prior to the small reception in the school gym, there was a poignant moment. After nearly 50 years of service to St. Bernadette School, the parish bid farewell to the Daughters of Wisdom. Sister Marie Sopr, pastoral minister, will leave St. Bernadette in August, ending the order’s presence in the parish.

Daughters of Wisdom Sister Ann Gray, provincial, accepted a plaque from the parish listing all of the sisters who have served St. Bernadette School. The plaque will hang in Wisdom Hall. The hall connects the gym, which served as the first church, to the main school building. Wisdom Hall was the idea of Principal Patricia Beeks, principal of St. Bernadette Schools, as a way to remember the founders and honor those who taught and graduated from the school.

Celebratory gifts were given to Father Kevin Larsen, pastor, and to Bishop Loverde. The celebration continued in the school gym with food, drink and shared memories. A dinner-dance was held last Friday at the Hilton Springfield to mark the golden anniversary.