CURIA GENERALIZIA MARIANISTI
Via Latina 22 - 00179 Roma, Italia
Tel. (39-06) 704 75 892 - Fax (39-06) 700 0406
E-mail: gencomm@smcuria.it

Death Notice No. 23 (To all Unit Administrations): June 23, 2006

The Province of the United States of America recommends to our fraternal prayers our dear brother, BERNARD A. MEYER, priest, who died in the service of the Blessed Virgin Mary on June 17, 2006, in San Antonio, Texas, in the 86th year of his age and the 68th year of his religious profession.

Bernard Meyer was born September 7, 1920, in Medford, Wisconsin, one of 10 children of John Philip and Agnes (Pritzl) Meyer. Born on the vigil of the Blessed Virgin and baptized on September 12, the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Bernard said he was “predestined to become a religious.” He attended Holy Rosary School in Medford, which was operated by Franciscan sisters. His relationships with Monsignor Gregory Reuter, pastor of Holy Rosary, and Bro. Francis Meyer, a Marianist who gave vocation talks in northern Wisconsin, inspired him to become a brother. In 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, he entered the Society of Mary at the postulate in Durand, Wisconsin, using a truckload of potatoes as payment for his board.

After three years of postulate, Bernard entered the novitiate at Maryhurst in Kirkwood, Missouri. He professed first vows in 1938 and final vows in 1942. Fr. Bernard graduated from the University of Dayton in 1941 with a bachelor’s degree in education, majoring in Latin.

He taught high school for six years in St. Louis, Chicago and San Antonio before entering the Marianist International Seminary in Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1947. He was ordained in 1951 and felt fortunate to celebrate his first Mass with relatives in Königsberg, Germany, who had been displaced from Czechoslovakia after World War II.

Following his ordination, Fr. Bernard returned to the United States and for the next nine years was a teacher and chaplain at schools in Belleville, Illinois, St. Louis and San Antonio. He taught religion, Latin, French and social studies and moderated sodality, servers, mother’s clubs and mission drives.

In 1959, he began what would become more than 35 years of ministry at Holy Rosary Parish in San Antonio. In 1964 he was appointed pastor and served in that capacity until 1976. During the 1976 to 1977 school year, he spent several months in Mexico with the Marist brothers. He then returned to Holy Rosary and was associate pastor for the next five years.

From 1981 to 1992, Fr. Bernard served as full-time chaplain at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio. In 1991, he returned to Holy Rosary as parochial vicar and was recognized by the parish with the dedication of its parish hall in his honor. Fr. Bernard continued his ministry at Holy Rosary, with one interval at Central Catholic High School in San Antonio from 1989 to 1991, until his retirement in 2005. Even in retirement, at the age of 85, Fr. Bernard continued to minister to area nursing homes and celebrate weekly Mass at Holy Rosary. “He was a wonderful person, an excellent pastor and a real builder,” said Robert Zepeda, Holy Rosary parishioner and friend for over 50 years. “He built up our beautiful parish, our school and the people. He was totally dedicated to our Blessed Mother.”

These sentiments were echoed by Fay Bourgeois, director of operations at the Marianist Residence in San Antonio. “Father was such a simple soul and so very kind. He was a true shepherd and pastor of his flock. He will be missed by the people of Holy Rosary Parish who held him in high esteem.”

One of Fr. Bernard’s most memorable experiences was in 1994 when he made an extensive visit to the Czech Republic village where his father had been baptized. He celebrated Mass with hundreds who had been driven out by the Communists. He wrote about his experience in an article titled “A Return to My Roots.” Fr. Bernard also composed two booklets on the history of Holy Rosary Parish.

“He was always there for people,” said Fr. John Manahan, pastor of Holy Rosary. “Woody Allen said 95 percent of life is just showing up. He showed up. He was very dependable and always made himself available to others.”

Fr. Bernard also was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and accomplished in creating leatherworks such as bible covers and rosary holders.

In early June, Fr. Bernard attended a Marianist retreat at TECABOCA in Ingram, Texas. His friend, Bro. Bill McCarthy, remembers Fr. Bernard telling him it had been “the most peaceful and prayerful retreat of my entire life.” One week later, Fr. Bernard died peacefully in his sleep at the Marianist residence in San Antonio.

May he rest in peace.