Established in 1876, it is 1 of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in Somerset County. I' m unsure as to how big it actually is, but it does consist of at least several sprawling acres, interspersed by trees, with its (older) office building at 1 end near the entrance gate and a beautiful community mausoleum (newer) at the other end. My own history with the cemetery goes back several decades, although perhaps not in the regular way. When I started driving, I'd go with friends to the cinema off the Somerville Circle (long gone) or the Somerville Drive In on Rt. 22 off of Rt. 28 (also long gone and sorely missed; I remember when they ran several Hammer horror movies and served free coffee and donuts at midnight). We'd get hamburgers before or after the movie and sometimes park here to eat and enjoy the quiet ambiance. Although we were not particularly well-adjusted teens, we were respectful of the surroundings. In more recent times, I'll get my oil changed at the Valvoline off of the circle, then head through Raritan and onto Rt. 28 on my way home. Sometimes I'll stop at St. Bernard's to do a "walking meditation" through its holy, peaceful grounds. I also have an interest in this cemetery for another, more unusual reason. One of my "hobbies" is looking through old issues of the NY Times on-line. I'm especially interested in stories about where I've lived and worked at in NJ in my lifetime as they were in the 1920s. In an April 1925 issue, I came across a disturbing story of an 11-year old girl from Neshanic named Josephine Krysowaty, who was attacked and repeatedly stabbed at her father's farm by a disgruntled farm hand named John Dorchuk (or Durchuk). There were pictures of her on-line taken at Somerville Hospital, smiling bravely through the wounds on her face, that were absolutely heartbreaking. Josephine died and was buried at St. Bernards. The next time I read about Dorchuk in the Times, he had been arrested in NYC, tried in Somerville, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Why not the death penalty? That I don't know. In an on-line article by Greg Gillette, it says Dorchuk was paroled in the 1950s but returned to prison after assaulting someone. In walking through the cemetery on 1 of my "walking meditations," I came across Josephine's small, weathered gravestone. I hope Josephine has found peace in death; she certainly was cheated in life. I feel sorrow that she was so cheated, and although I'm against the death penalty, I feel anger all these decades later that Dorchuk got a judicial pass. As an agnostic, it's hard for me to feel that life is anything other than a "crapshoot." Some get some lucky breaks; others are profoundly unlucky. Like Josephine. If Christianity is correct, and there is such a thing as sentient awareness or existence after death, I hope Josephine is, as I've mentioned, at peace, that her spirit has been comforted and consoled. Life cheated her horribly out of her future; hopefully death has been kinder to her. If there is a Hell, I have to believe that Dorchuk resides there. In Find a Grave, the "famous" permanent resident at St. Bernard's is a ballplayer I never heard of (in fairness to him, if the name isn't Ruth or Gehrig or Robinson, or maybe Gil Hodges, I'm not going to know the athlete in question). With all due respect to that ballplayer, I suggest you remember instead the bright light that was Josephine Krysowaty or the thousands of other honest, respectful citizens trying to make their way in life and provide for their loved ones who rest in these hallowed, sanctified grounds. May they all have found peace in whatever ultimately awaits us all in death. read more

St Bernard R C Cemetery - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Bridgewater, New Jersey