Father Bernard Harding, O.Ss.T.

         Born February 15, 1921 in Washington, D.C., his father was Benjamin Harding and his mother was Ellen, Theresa O'Neil Harding. His actual full name was Lee Aloysius Harding. He was baptized on March 6, 1921 at the Church of the Holy Name in Washington, DC by the Rev. Thomas J. Kenrick. In 1939 he graduated from Eastern High School in Washington, DC

           Father Bernard studied philosophy at DeMatha College in Hyattsville, Maryland. He also studied at Holy Name College in Washington, DC, Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. He held an M.S. in Secondary Education from Catholic University. He began his novitiate in 1940 at the St. John DeMatha Monastery in Hyattsville, Maryland. He took Simple Vows on September 10, 1941 and Solemn Vows on September 10, 1944 at St. John DeMatha Monastery. His ordination to the Priesthood took place on June 10, 1947 at the National Shrine in Washington, DC

            His ministries included:
              +      Associate Pastor at St. Ann Church in Bristol, PA., 1947-1950
              +      Master of Preps and Vicar, at St. John DeMatha Monastery, 1950-1956
              +      Associate Pastor, at St. James Church in Trenton, N.J., 1956-1962
              +      Prison Chaplain, at Federal prisons in southern Illinois and resident at St.
                      Paul Church in Johnson City in Illinois, 1962-1971
              +     Minister Provincial of his Order in 1971-1974, while still being involved in
                     Prison Ministry, in Jessup, MD.
              +    Vicar Provincial of the Trinitarians, 1974-1977
              +     Master of Students and Minister at Trinity House in Baltimore, 1975-1978
              +     Pastor of St. Lawrence Martyr Church in Jessup, 1978-1990
              +    Retired to Stella Maris in August 1990 and then to the Monastery in
                    Pikesville in 1995

            Father Bernard celebrated his 50th anniversary as a Trinitarian Friar June 1st
1997 at a luncheon hosted at the Pikesville Monastery by the Our Lady's Guild of St. Lawrence Martyr Church. He passed away on September 13, 1997 after a long illness and is buried on the grounds of the Monastery.

            During Father Bernard's tenure as Pastor of St. Lawrence Martyr Church (1978-1990), he appointed the first paid Coordinator of Religious Education for the parish, was instrumental in moving the Parish Rectory and office to its current modern building on Clark Road, purchased the special protective lexan coverings which preserve the fragile opalescent glass windows of the church, gave permission for the first set of U.S. and Papal flags to adorn the altar, brought in the first computer to assist in parish administrative and accounting operations, and laid the fiscal groundwork (with the first annual budget surpluses) for the remodeling of the church building in the early 90's. Father Bernard put great emphasis on the strengthening of the Pastoral Advisory Council and in making it a vibrant force in parish spiritial and temporal activities. In 1998, a Knights of Columbus Council was formed at St. Lawrence Martyr. Long time Knight and parish leader, Colonel Tony Naples, suggested Father Harding's name as the honorific title of the council. The charter was granted on March 19, 1998.