Bernard was born in 1930 in Bavaria, Germany. He was the son of a carpenter and grew up in a simple home with a loving family. In elementary school, he would go to Mass almost every day to the nearby parish. After he made his first communion and confession, he said “I want to be something in order to get to heaven.” He decided at a young age to become a priest and went to school at a minor seminary. During that time, the Nazi regime had taken over Bavaria. He had no fear of living his faith and was known by all to love God and to be a joyful person. Bernard was compassionate and always took an interest in all suffering of those he encountered. When he was just 13 years old, he fell ill of a serious disease which led him to be hospitalized. The doctors and nurses were amazed at how he dealt with his disease with no complaints, offering it up for the souls of those in need. After a month of illness, he passed away in 1944 when he was only 14 years old. In the life of Bernard, no striking or even outstanding achievements of holiness stand out. Rather, his holiness came from a conscientious, persevering faithfulness in everyday duties. In 2011, Pope Benedict declared his virtues heroic and venerable.