The parish of St. Bernard was established in 1868[5] for a congregation of mostly Irish immigrants and their descendants, which influenced the decision to hire the Irish-born prolific ecclesiastical architect of Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals, Patrick Keely.

In the autumn of 1868 Mary Catherine Dannat Starr started a sewing school for girls at St. Bernard's to teach them skills in order to better their condition.

Irish-born architect Patrick Charles Keely's design of "twin towers, triple-portal entrance, and rose window inset into a pointed arch reveal a masterful blending of French and English influences.

"[2] Also referenced as Ruskinian Gothic by the AIA Guide to NYC (2010)[3] The interior features a prominent U-shaped gallery and many figurative stained-glass windows in the style of Mayers of Munich.

Presumably since the 2003 merger, the interior has been significantly redecorated and painted with many of the transferable art objects of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish moved here.