The $33 million transformation of St. Bernard Catholic Church into a cathedral for the Diocese of Madison has just encountered a $2 million cost overrun. Only this one is covered by insurance.
Workers assemble scaffolding to begin a roof replacement project at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Monday, April 20, 2026. Extensively damaged in a recent hail storm, the newly-installed roof was replaced as part of an ongoing effort to transform the church into a cathedral for the Diocese of Madison. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
The clay roof tiles installed last year atop St. Bernard Catholic Church, were heavily damaged from last week’s hailstorm. The previous roof had lasted nearly 100 years.
Paul Lang, who is leading the restoration effort to convert St. Bernard Catholic Church on Atwood Avenue into the cathedral for the Diocese of Madison, shows off some of the hail damage the clay-tiled roof received from last week’s hailstorm. Lang said it will cost around $2 million to replace the roof and repair other damages.
Paul Lang, left, and the Rev. Michael Radowicz, pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church on Atwood Avenue, are seen here in November inside the church’s sanctuary. The building, under Lang and Radowicz’s guidance, is in the midst of a transformation into the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The diocese has been without a cathedral since 2005 when St. Raphael Cathedral was destroyed by fire.
The sidewalk on Corry Street, which runs along the east side of St. Bernard Catholic Church, remained cordoned off Monday to protect pedestrians from any clay tiles that could still slide off the roof of the 99-year-old church.
Paul Lang, the recently retired director of real estate and construction for the Diocese of Madison, goes through a dumpster partially filled with broken clay roof tiles.
Paul Lang, who is leading the restoration effort to convert St. Bernard Catholic Church on Atwood Avenue into the cathedral for the Diocese of Madison, shows off some of the hail damage the clay-tiled roof received from last week’s hailstorm. Lang said it will cost around $2 million to replace the roof and repair other damages.
The clay roof tiles installed last year atop St. Bernard Catholic Church, were heavily damaged from last week’s hailstorm. The previous roof had lasted nearly 100 years.
Paul Lang, the recently retired director of real estate and construction for the Diocese of Madison, goes through a dumpster partially filled with broken clay roof tiles.
The sidewalk on Corry Street, which runs along the east side of St. Bernard Catholic Church, remained cordoned off Monday to protect pedestrians from any clay tiles that could still slide off the roof of the 99-year-old church.
Workers assemble scaffolding to begin a roof replacement project at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Monday, April 20, 2026. Extensively damaged in a recent hail storm, the newly-installed roof was replaced as part of an ongoing effort to transform the church into a cathedral for the Diocese of Madison. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Paul Lang, left, and the Rev. Michael Radowicz, pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church on Atwood Avenue, are seen here in November inside the church’s sanctuary. The building, under Lang and Radowicz’s guidance, is in the midst of a transformation into the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The diocese has been without a cathedral since 2005 when St. Raphael Cathedral was destroyed by fire.
