Born wealthy, Bernard gave everything and himself to God

Listen to St. Bernard Catholic School eighth grade student Anthony Ramirez’s, 13, biography of our patron saint, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, recorded live during our 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013.

The patron of our school was born in Burgundy, France, in the year 1090.

This man was born in the castle of the richest. Can you imagine all the benefits he had? How could he have thrown them away?

In his early life, he was sent to the best of schools. As he went to school, he studied and he loved reading. He also liked to write poetry.

He entered college at an early age. There, he studied theology and the holy scripture.

When his mother died, he set to be a monk. He could have gone with the rich monks on the castle where he could take advantage of his wealth. Instead, he went off to join in the strict Cistercian order.

In the year 1113, Bernard was 23 years old when he entered the Cistercian

monastery. In Cîteaux, he would be working with 30 noblemen. This group were all practically uncles, brothers, and friends.

After working with the noblemen for some time, the people above him would start to notice that he was making great progress with his spiritual life.

In the year 1115, he would be traveling with 12 other monks, and their mission was to find a new monastery. They had to find it somewhere in the valley of Wormwood. As time went by, they changed the name of the valley to the “Valley of Light,” or Clairvaux.

As his father aged, he also gave up his wealth and joined Bernard in the monastery. His married sister loved being rich and wealthy and having servants.

One day, she visited Bernard, and the words that came out of his mouth were so powerful that his sister also retired from wealth to a convent, with the permission of her husband.

It was in Clairvaux where he was appointed the abbot. As the abbot, he did not have a very quiet and contemplative life. He had less time to read.

Bernard was a powerful preacher, and it was said that he could perform miracles and help the sick.

His first miracle was when he restored speech to a mute person as Bernard gave him the opportunity to confess his sins.

Bernard died in his monastery in the year 1153.

Even though he died, he left many of his accomplishments with us, like his monasteries.

He died at the age of 63.

Later, after his death, he was canonized a saint by Pope Alexander III in 1174. Bernard was also named a doctor of the church in 1830 Pope Pius VIII.

His feast day is Aug. 20.

Throughout his life, St. Bernard showed he cared about God’s people and God himself, and that is why he is our role model.

I think this school is very lucky to have a patron like him.