Bernard Cyril Mischke, osc
March 18, 1926 – January 2, 2012
Bernard Cyril Mischke was born March 18, 1926, to Joseph and
Margaret (Theis) Mischke in Little Falls, MN. Bernard joined the Crosier Fathers
and Brothers in 1944, made his first Profession of Vows on July 4, 1945, and
was ordained a Crosier priest on June 1, 1951. Besides his theological studies,
Fr. Bernard earned a master’s degree in English from the University of Notre
Dame in 1957.
During his 66 years as a Crosier and 60 years as a priest,
Fr. Bernard served on the faculty of Crosier Seminary in Onamia, MN, where he taught English for 21 years. He also served as
pastor of numerous parishes in the Diocese of Saint Cloud and elsewhere in
Minnesota. He was the author of various publications on the Mass, the Way of the
Cross, the Crosiers’ Patroness Saint Odilia, and Family Prayer. He wrote a Christmas play, “Of Crimes and Crowns” in 1951 and
“The Life of Thomas More” in 1952.
Following the Second Vatican Council, Fr. Bernard collaborated with composer and then Crosier Fr. Eugene Lindusky, writing the lyrics for many liturgical hymns and settings of the psalms and canticles. These compositions were initially published by The Crosier Press and eventually widely distributed by World Library Publications.
Following the Second Vatican Council, Fr. Bernard collaborated with composer and then Crosier Fr. Eugene Lindusky, writing the lyrics for many liturgical hymns and settings of the psalms and canticles. These compositions were initially published by The Crosier Press and eventually widely distributed by World Library Publications.
Fr. Bernard spent two years preaching parish missions with his
Crosier uncle, Fr. Fritz Mischke, osc. In his retirement, he
continued to write and revise lyrics for the Crosiers to sing during
Morning and Evening Prayer. Fr. Bernard died on January 2, 2012, in Onamia, MN.
He was 85.
Tribute prepared by the Crosier Fathers and Brothers.