Parish Hall Rental – St Bernard Church

All groups or organizations who use the Parish Hall must have a mission that is not contrary to the mission of the Catholic Church, the Diocese of Providence or St. Bernard Parish.
St. Bernard Parish follows the policy of the Diocese of Providence and does not rent the Hall or any other facilities for political use by partisan or non-partisan politicians running for office on the federal, state, or local level.
Groups and organizations affiliated with St. Bernard Parish will have priority for usage and availability. It is also understood that the Lessee will have access only to the Parish Hall and the bathroom facilities and not to the office and meeting room areas of the Parish Center. It is also understood that, while St. Bernard’s provides such amenities as the tables, chairs, etc. located in the Parish Hall no removal of any furniture from the premises is allowed nor can tables and chairs be brought outside.

Saturday daytime usage must end by 3:00 PM.
Saturday evening usage cannot begin before 6:30 PM and must end by 10:30 PM.
Sunday usage (during non-faith formation Sundays) cannot begin before 12:00 PM and must end by 9:00 PM.
Weekday Usage is from 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM
Weeknight usage begins at 6:30 PM and ends at 9:00 PM.
Exceptions can be made on a per-case basis.
No food or drink is allowed in the Office and Conference Room area of the building.
The Parish Center is a smoke-free environment and smoking is not allowed.
The capacity for the building is:
- Seated with tables 150
- Seated without tables 300
The possession of firearms, including concealed firearms, on St. Bernard’s property is prohibited. Excepted are uniformed police and security personnel.

If decorating, usage of the following items is prohibited
- The use of staples, tacks, nails, tape or any other adhesives on walls, ceilings, window sills or tables is not allowed.
- Free Standing decorations are allowed.
Room set-up and clean-up
- Needs must be reviewed with parish representative.
- A parish representative must be on site during the event.
- All trash and re-cycling must be removed from the kitchen after the event and placed in the proper containers outside.
The Parish Center is equipped with WIFI. An instruction sheet will be provided if the Lessee would like use of the guest WIFI.

Wedding ceremonies may not be performed in the Parish Hall. Those Weddings using the Hall must be performed according to the Rites of the Catholic Church.
The Parish Hall will be available the day before the Wedding Reception for preparation.

The Kitchen is designed for the use of Caterers and does not have a license for commercial usage.
Caterers must be properly licensed and a list of approved Caterers can be provided.
Lessee must provide their own utensils, cooking and serving equipment, tableware, dishes, linens and paper goods.
Lessee must clean all equipment used, including counters, sinks and floor.
If the kitchen is used without a Caterer and food preparation is involved, one person from the group must be certified by “SERVSAFE” or its equivalent in order to avoid food contamination. The lessee should also make guests aware of any food which might present food or nut allergies.
All refuse and garbage must be properly bagged and taken to the dumpster.

The Lessee is allowed to use the sound system in the Parish Hall and is responsible for any damage caused while using the system or microphones. The system must be set-up prior to the event by someone from Parish staff.

A Security deposit of $120.00 must be made in advance to reserve a date.
The deposit will be forfeited for damages or for any policy not followed.
The deposit will be refunded within two weeks of the event after it has been certified that there were no damages to the Parish Hall or St. Bernard property.

The deposit will be refunded only if the parish receives notice of the cancellation ten (10) days prior to the event/meeting.
Exceptions due to unforeseen circumstances and waiving of the deposit are at the discretion of the Pastor.

All Fees do not include the security deposit but due include a maintenance fee for set-up and clean-up.
Rental for the Parish Hall for Parishioners: $75.00/hour
Rental for the Parish Hall for non-parishioners: $100.00/hour
Maintenance fee: $25.00/hour
The Lessee must sign a “Rental Agreement” (Parish Hall Rental Agreement).

If the Lessee is not a Parish organization or group, the Lessee must provide to the parish a Certificate of Insurance, documenting general liability coverage in the amount of $1 million per event.
This Certificate must name St. Bernard Parish, the Diocese of Providence and the Arch Diocese of Hartford, CT as an additional insured, not just a certificate holder.
Parish liability insurance does not cover medical expenses incurred by accidents that happen on the property unless the parish is determined to be at fault.
The Lessee agrees to pay for the defense of St. Bernard Parish and the Diocese of Providence in the event of any law suits brought as related to the use of the Parish Hall.
The Lessee is responsible for the conduct of all persons entering the building during the time of the event.
Illegal gambling is prohibited in the building or on the grounds. If the event includes a raffle or legal games of chance a permit from the State Police must be shown.

All parking will be in the parking lots within designated spaces. The entrance to the Lot is on Tower Hill Road. There is an exit in the rear of the building which is a Right Turn Only (onto Ten Rod Rd.) and may be used only as a one-way exit, not an entrance.
St. Bernard Parish is not responsible for the loss due to theft, of any articles left on the property or damage to vehicles.
No parking is allowed on the grass at any time.

Any exceptions to these usage policies are at the discretion of the pastor and Parish Hall Coordinator.

Any questions, please call the parish office at 295-0387