Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Fr. Bernard in the sacristy after Mass

On the Feast of St. Bernard this August 20th, the community Mass was celebrated by Fr. Bernard Do, one of our long-term guests from the Cistercian monastery of Our Lady of Grace in Vietnam. Fr. Bernard was ordained on June 26, 2010, in the abbey church of his monastery in Vietnam by Bishop Thomas, along with several of his brothers.

Fr. Bernard incensing the altar

Since this was his first Mass in our abbey church, Fr. Bernard blessed each of the brothers following Mass.

At the Opening Prayer used by Cistercians for the Feast of St. Bernard we pray:

Almighty and everliving God, 

Our Father St. Bernard was 

on fire with zeal for your 

house, enlightening and 

warming your Church.

By his prayers,

may we, too, be aglow with 

that spirit and ever walk 

as children of light. 

Let us pray for our new priest, Fr. Bernard, and for all of us, that we may ever be aglow with the fire of grace in the service of Christ and his Church.