Benedictines have a new saint to add to the rostrum of holy men. VENERABLE BERNARDO VAZ LOBO TEIXEIRA VASCONCELOS was a Benedictine monk, mystic, poet, and writer. He was born in São Romão Corgo (Celorico de Basto), Portugal, on July 7, 1902. His father, Doctor Manuel Joaquim da Cunha Maia Teixeira de Vasconcelos, lord of Casa do Marvão, was Delegate of the Royal Prosecutor's Office in Cabeceiras de Basto. He was the seventh of eight children. Even as a child, he was docile, gentle, intelligent, and pious, a friend to everyone and with a very strong sensitivity towards the poor.
He
studied at the University of Coimbra, thinking perhaps of joining the Navy, and was part of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society which
did works of evangelization and charity especially with the poor. He had a
great devotion to the Eucharist and was often found in adoration.
Having
fallen ill, he interrupted his studies and took a job at a bank in the city of
Porto.
Professionally, he was an editor of the journal which studied democracy. Bernardo had only one concern in everything he did: that God be known and loved. Saving souls was the ideal that moved his physical, spiritual and intellectual energies.
The "Canticle of Love" is his best-known literary work and one that reveals Bernardo as a mystical poet. It is a work composed of 32 poems written between 1920-1932. Two years after his death, 1934, “Vida de Amor” appears, a kind of autobiography since its content is taken from the several hundred letters he wrote.
“As Nossas Festas” (1934), which is a compilation of articles that were published in the “Opus Dei” Magazine; “Poesias Dispersas” (1935) which is a collection of other poems that Bernardo wrote and that Fr Luís Cabral, SJ carried out; “The Mass and the Inner Life” (1936) collection of articles on the Eucharist and published in the “Opus Dei” Magazine.
“Don’t get delivered to sadness that only serves to disable our best energies … it expands your heart and let him the life-giving Sun of joy. Joy, but with so many ordeals? I’m telling you: who did you see still no cross? The cross follows us wherever we go and we have to take; and, if we don’t want to raise our arms and generously to hugs, I mean: with all the ardor of our hearts-what do we have to take a challenge behind us, the drags.”
He
experienced a six-year ordeal while he continued his studies in Theology in
Porto, since his great aspiration was the priesthood. When he was already
admitted to Major Orders, illness prevented him from achieving this goal. He
was then subdeacon.
Brother Bernardo died in the early hours of July 4, 1932, after a long suffering caused by TB. He is buried in the parish church of São Romão do Corgo.
May his short life, dedicted to the Lord, be an example to other young men.
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