This is the story of Bernard!

The Saints are the Sinners who Keep on Trying - Robert Louis Stevenson

This is the story of Bernard!
“Saint Mellifluous”

Patron of Saint Bernard Parish;
Protects people from saying harsh words!

Bernard's story took place long ago. Bernard was born in France in the year 1090. Bernard's mother died when he was still a teenager and Bernard had some troublesome years thereafter. Eventually, Bernard became a Cistercian monk, which was a primitive order of the Benedictine monks. He lived such a meager and poverty-filled existence that he began to lose followers because others could not follow his rigid example of complete selflessness. Bernard wrote a very popular classic story and masterpiece, De deligendo Deo ("On the Love of God") and was declared to be a Doctor of the Church. Bernard was actually nicknamed Doctor "Mellifluous," which means "filled with sweetness like honey." This is probably why a beehive is an emblem associated with Saint Bernard. Pray to Saint Bernard when there is disharmony and you are tempted to say bitter words out of anger. Saint Bernard will help you hold your tongue by reminding you that "more flies are killed with honey than with vinegar!"

© 1999

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Each SfS medal is imported from Italy,
painted by hand in
New Orleans, Louisiana,
and is a one-of-a-kind original.