St. Bernard Academy marks 160 years since Sisters of Mercy opened it in Nashville
The Catholic school, founded in 1866, now enrolls 365 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, the diocese said.
NASHVILLE - St. Bernard Academy, a Catholic school founded by the Sisters of Mercy, is marking 160 years in Nashville, according to a Nov. 9 post from the Diocese of Nashville. The school held an anniversary Mass in its gymnasium on Monday, Oct. 26, followed by a reception, and the observance continues through the year.
Six Sisters of Mercy traveled from Dublin, Ireland, and opened the school in 1866 next to the State Capitol, welcoming 400 girls in its first year, the diocese said. It moved to 21st Avenue South in 1905. In 1988, parents bought the high school building from the sisters, and the school became a coeducational elementary school.
Today 365 boys and girls attend, from pre-kindergarten 3 through eighth grade. Sisters of Mercy remain involved on its Board of Trustees, and the school joined the Mercy Education System of the Americas in 2021.
"We get to celebrate everything they built while asking how we can continue to strengthen it for the children who come after us," said Margaret Richards, head of school.
Source: Diocese of Nashville news post, Nov. 9, 2026 (160 Years of Mercy Tradition in Nashville).