Blessed Bernard of Offida

Placed successively in several houses of his Order, Bernard left behind him everywhere the sweet odor of his virtues. Finally, when he had reached the age of sixty, and his great prudence, well known to all, had inspired complete confidence in him, he was entrusted in the convent of Offida with the task of questing. This task is very arduous among the Capuchins and at the same time very dangerous for virtue; for the Rule of this holy Order requiring that the religious live only on alms, it is necessary that each day a brother go out to quest, that he consequently have habitual relations with seculars, that he enter into houses, and that he thus expose himself to losing the spirit of his state, if he is not well established in it. This trial was for the Bless ed one only an le Bienheureux Italian Capuchin friar renowned for his charity and miracles. occasion in which God was pleased to manifest his holiness. His compatriots, who remembered the wisdom he had shown in his youth, observed him with curiosity upon his return to Offida; but soon they were able to convince themselves that he had only grown in perfection. They saw him during the time of his quest walking with eyes cast down, his demeanor modest, and inspiring veneration by his angelic countenance. He entered houses only to see the sick benefactors. If he met some poor person who was suffering, he assisted him with the most touching charity. Respect for him was general, and it was only with keen sorrow that the inhabitants learned that Bernard was leaving his country to go, by the order of his superiors, to the convent of Ascoli. They did not limit themselves to sterile regrets in thi Ascoli City where Bernard was briefly sent by his superiors. s circumstance; they addressed the superiors to obtain the return of the holy brother, and their request was heard. He therefore returned to Offida, where his return caused universal joy. He resumed his task of questing there, which was very arduous for him, for to collect alms he went into the surroundings of the city up to a distance of four leagues, often along very bad roads or in excessive heat. All these journeys were made on foot, and what made them even more tiring for him was that he had a serious infirmity and was constantly covered with a rough hair shirt. When he returned overwhelmed with weariness, he was heard to exclaim: "Paradise, Paradise"; o r else cilice Instrument of penance worn by Bernard. : "Does this wretched body not want to suffer? If it wants to enjoy, it must indeed suffer."

By soliciting temporal aid, Bernard gave to the entire region he inhabited spiritual aid a thousand times more precious; he consoled the poor and the afflicted; instructed by a supernatural light in the secrets of hearts, he restored order to criminal consciences through his counsel; he prevented God from being offended, and above all, he had an admirable talent for settling disputes and restoring unity in families. Thus, when his passing deprived the people of his presence, they said: "He who put an end to discord, who reunited hearts, who made harmony reign among relatives is dead! Ah! If Brother Bernard would return!"

When the ever-increasing infirmities of the holy religious no longer allowed him to perform the duties of a questor, his superiors charged him with the role of porter. This was for him only a new means of practicing charity toward his neighbor. The poor flocked to him, and he assisted them; the afflicted came to tell him of their sorrows, and he consoled them. Ill-bred children often put his patience to the test with their mischief: he endured them, without ever showing the slightest irritation. The ignorant especially stirred his zeal; he instructed them in the truths of religion and prepared them for the reception of the sacraments. Finally, the impression that his holy life gave of his virtue was so well established that people came to ask him for miracles, and they obtained them from him. A mother one day brought him her son, who was of tender age and dangerously ill; she placed him in his hands so that he might obtain his healing, but the child died immediately. Then this woman, distraught by her grief, began to cry out that Brother Bernard had killed her son, and seeing that he was withdrawing, she held him by his habit, saying to him: "I will not let you go until you have returned him to me alive." The holy man, moved with compassion, shed tears with her, then, entering the church, he went before the altar of Saint Felix of Cantalice saint Félix de Cantalice Capuchin friar and close friend of Philip. , to whom he had a great devotion, placed the child on this altar, and, kneeling down, he said with admirable simplicity: "This is the moment to assist me, my good Saint Felix." He then prayed for a few moments. O wonder! The child returned to life, was healed, and smiled at his mother. She, consoled and full of joy, asked the man of God for forgiveness for the insults she had spoken to him.

It seemed that something would have been missing from the perfection of the Blessed one, had he not had to endure slanders and humiliations. His solicitude for the needs of the poor and the pains he took to relieve them displeased some religious, who complained about it to the superiors and represented Brother Bernard as lacking discretion in the distribution of alms, and capable of harming the convent in this way. The Provincial Father, having come to Offida, summoned the alleged culprit, and treated him very harshly before the assembled community. Bernard threw himself humbly to his knees, and, by the calm and joyful air with which he received this reprimand, he showed what esteem he held for contradictions. His innocence, which was soon recognized, contributed even more to increasing the admiration that was held for his virtue.

It was by thus setting the example of perfect holiness that this venerable religious reached the age of ninety. He had traversed this long career when, in the month of August 1694, he felt himself seized by a violent fever; his first care, as soon as he saw himself ill, was to prepare for a general confession. Although he had spent his life in innocence, he made it with many tears and a contrition as vivid as if he had been a great sinner. As the illness increased, he received the holy Viaticum with great fervor, after which he fell into an ecstasy. Having returned to himself, and finding himself near his end, he said to his superior, with that amiable simplicity which was his distinctive character: "Father Guardian, give me your blessing, so that I may go to paradise." The Guardian would only grant him this grace after he had himself given his own to him and to all those present. Bernard did so out of obedience, using the crucifix he held in his hands. This was his final action. He quietly rendered his soul to his Creator on the morning of Sunday, August 22, 1694. No sooner had the news of his death spread than a great multitude was seen arriving at the convent, not only from Offida, but from the surrounding towns. It was necessary to keep him exposed for three days before he could be laid in the ground. Miracles began to occur from that moment through his intercession; these miracles and his virtues led the Holy See to work toward his beatification, which was pronounced by Pope Pius VI on May 19, 1793.

Excerpt from the Life of Blessed Bernard of Offida, by Canon de Ram; he drew chanoine de Ram Hagiographer and author of a life of Bernard of Offida. it himself from the Supplement of Charles Butler, by Abbé Trouvaux.

Excerpt from the Life of Blessed Bernard of Offida, by Canon de Ram; he drew it himself from the Supplement of Charles Butler, by Abbé Trouvaux.