St Bernards High School - Bernardian Yearbook (Fitchburg, MA)

Page 15 text:

Yrasy.) wi ui be is y q fos cv, ar HT | | | | | i | , DUAN Y Lad awa ' 7 her, sister, and five brothers tried to dis- his purpose to renounce the world. And, rld which they presented to him, did ap- way to the highest dignities in the Church. enever the world smiled on him, and he was d to yield to it, the memory of his mother recalled “tothe reality of life. he ernard described the beauty of the religious life in h glowing colors that four of his brothers, his uncle, and many of his friends resolved to follow him to the monastery of Citeaux. Here, in spite of his delicate constitution, Bernard did his share and more of the hard manual labor as the Rule commanded. His example brought so great an increase of candidates that a new monastery became a necessity. A wild valley in a mountain gorge was chosen and Bernard was ap- pointed the first abbot of the monastery to be built here. Bernard and his monks soon converted this savage waste. into a smiling garden, which well deserved the name it: has borne for over 800 years — Clairvaux, the valley of light. RE Here, broken in health by his austerities and by cease- less work, Bernard died in 1153. :

Page 14 text:

a¢ ay — r f 4 Ons SM! BG Foe ah) : A= i res = ST. BERNARD Bernard was born in 1071 at the Castle of Fontaines in Burgundy. His father, the Lord of Fontaines, was a noble knight, who preserved the dignity of the Christian life at the court and in the camp of the Duke of Burgundy, and : distinguished himself on all occasions by his valor and : tan ( his hy iWlh hit Mijas his uprightness. His mother, the daughter of Count Bernard de Mont- bar, entered the married state, against her will, as She longed to give herself entirely to God in the cloister. - She became the mother of six sons of whom Bernard was the third, and of one daughter. After the death of his mother, Bernard felt that his support and his consolation was -no longer here on earth. One day, Bernard started out to visit his brothers, who were wtih the Duke of Burgundy, at the siege of the Castle of Grancey. As he rode along in deep thought, a voice sounded in the depths of his heart — ''Come to - me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and | will refresh you; take my yoke upon you, and you shall find rest to your souls. ° At these words a heavenly longing took possession of Bernard. He entered the nearest church, prostrated him- self before the altar and prayed. A deep calm fell upon his soul, and Bernard, all on fire with love, consecrated himself forever to God. ie iY LOO See Sie i ie —

Page 16 text:

FRONT STAIRWAY and ; BALCONY During the Marian year, each home- room had a special day on which to come to Mary’s shrine on the balcony and to Say a rosary, sing a hymn, or other similar devotions to our Blessed Mother. How often we have passed up and down these stairs during the past four years! Let us keep in mind the scriptural lines written as a border on the three sides of the entrance: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I am the way and th truth and the light. I have chosen the wa of truth. ; } hy i x —