Get connected with St Pauls

Saint Paul's Catholic Student Center

To know Christ, to love Christ, and to serve Christ.

Freshman Housing

Living at Saint Paul’s

frequently asked questions
Where is the Bernadette House?

The fourth floor of Saint Paul’s Catholic Student Center which is located on Library Mall, in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus.

What does the Bernadette House look like?

The photos in the left column show the apartment which includes:

  • a full kitchen
  • living room
  • dining room
  • 2 bathrooms
  • in unit laundry
  • 3 rooms, 3 women per room
  • a dresser for each resident and a shared closet
What are the advantages to being a part of an intentional, Catholic community?
  • Living in a house of 9 other freshmen means you always have someone to talk to. 
  • In a home like environment there is more of a shared life experience with more mutual support.
  • In an intentional community of people striving to grow in virtue there is more opportunity to learn from one another rather than to compete with one another. 
  • In this community the resident assistants are able to concentrate on and be more concerned with your growth as a human person.
How do food and cooking factor into the Bernadette community?
  • Food is communal, so cost of groceries is split amongst community members
  • House sisters cook dinner four meals per week. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
  • Other meals are on your own or voluntarily shared with the community.
What are the rules of living in community?
  • Required attendance at weekly community nights 
  • Communal food 
  • Weekly or bi-weekly communal cleaning 
  • men are only allowed in the Bernadette house for specific events
  • Attending each week a 30 minute course on human virtue. 
  • Other rules are established by community members
    • Example: quiet hours, when guests are allowed to come over
How much does it cost to live in the Bernadette House?

$3,500 per semester or $7,000 a year. This includes room and board.

What will the virtue program consist of?

COURSE PLAN
This course is divided into 10 sessions (10/semester). The first semester covers the fundamentals of human anthropology and virtue. Its aim is to introduce students to what virtue is, how it is cultivated, and why it is important. The second semester introduces students to the guiding principles of Catholic social thought. This semester builds on the previous to facilitate an understanding of virtuous leadership and the conditions of a flourishing society.

Semester 1 
1. Introduction: Why Live Well?   
2. Habits and Happiness 
3. Virtue and Moral Action 
4. The Passions and Moral Virtue 
5. The Cardinal Virtues
6. Vice and Sin 
7. The Nature of Good & Evil
8. Friendship 
9. Law & Natural Law   
10. Conclusion: Why Virtue?  

Semester 2 
11. Intro to Catholic Social Thought
12. Human Dignity 
13. The Common Good
14. Subsidiarity 
15. Solidarity
16. The Family 
17. The State
18. The Church & the World 
19. Christian Leadership
20. Living Well in the Modern World

Meet the RA’s

Sophie Johnson

House Mother

Hello! I’m Sophie Johnson. I am the youngest of four kids, and I was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I am set to graduate in May 2022 with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and I am planning on attending graduate school for Speech-Language Pathology in the future. When I’m not studying speech acoustics, you can find me running on Lakeshore path, baking sourdough bread, embroidering clothes, or playing board games. I’ve lived in an intentional community for the past two years, and I’m looking forward to leading the women in the apartment this year to grow in virtue.

    Rebecca Forman

    House Sister

    Hi, my name is Rebecca Forman, and I will be graduating in May of 2022 with a B.S. in Microbiology. I’m originally from McFarland, WI, a small Madison suburb, where I lived with my parents and my older brother for 16 years. I grew up a cradle Catholic, but it wasn’t until high school where I really made my faith my own, and especially not until college until I really learned what living a life of faith meant. Outside of school and Saint Paul’s, I love doing crafty things like knitting, painting, and DIY-ing all sorts of things, but I’m also a huge nerd and a lover of all things sci-fi and fantasy. I cannot wait to walk with the women in this apartment during such an exciting year!

      Heidi Gust

      House Sister

      Hello everyone! My name is Heidi, and I grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. I am studying Elementary Education, and I will be graduating in May of 2022. Before college, I didn’t really practice my faith, but I knew I wanted to change that when I moved to Madison. I started going to Saint Paul’s and joined a Bible study with a wonderful group of women who helped me to learn more about living a life of faith. Since then, I’ve become more involved at St. Paul’s, including living in community for two years: one year in the Bernadette House and one year in another Catholic women’s house. In addition to school, I enjoy spending time with friends, drinking coffee, baking, dancing, and sewing. I am overjoyed to be living in the Bernadette House again next year, and I am looking forward to growing in virtue and friendship with everyone there!

        Interested?

        Contact Kelli Trumble, Director of Operations, at ktrumble@uwcatholic.org or (608) 447-0027 with any questions or for an application

        Events This Week

        Week of Events

        View Calendar

        From Twitter