Rev. Bernard P. Carman, SAC

Rev. Bernard P. Carman, SAC St. Jude Shrine 308 North Paca Street Baltimore, MD 21201 410-685-6026 x1322

REV. BERNARD PATRICK CARMAN, SAC

Born: 16 March 1953, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, N.J.

Grew up in Clementon (1953 to 1955) and Magnolia, NJ (South Jersey, near Philadelphia).

EDUCATION: Bishop Eustace Preparatory School (owned and run by the Pallottines), 1971.

Pallottine Novitiate (Society of the Catholic Apostolate) at Queen of Apostles Retreat House, Sag Harbor, Long Island - July 1971 to July 1972.

Bachelor’s in Sociology and Philosophy Studies - The Catholic University of America, 1976.

Bachelor’s and Licentiate in Theology - The Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 1981.

Master’s in Pastoral Theology, Religious Formation - Aquinas Institute, St. Louis, 1985.

STD, Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology - The Catholic University of America, 1988.

Chaplain (Assistente Ecclesiastico) to Troop Roma 46 of the “Scouts d’Europa” (Italian Boy and Girl Scouts), 1978 to 1981.

Ordained to the Deaconate in May 1979 at San Silvestro Church in Rome, Italy by Cardinal Pignedoli.

Ordained to the Priesthood: 15 September 1979 at St. Gregory’s Church, Magnolia, N.J. by Auxiliary Bishop of Camden, Bishop James Schad.

Associate Pastor - Our Lady of Pompeii Church, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1981 to 1983.

One of three Directors of the Spiritual Year (Rev. James Heisler - MD; Rev. George Neumann - LM.CD) in Florissant, MO, 1984 to 1985.

Rector and Novice Master – Pallottine Seminary at Green Hill, 1985 to 1988.

Pastor - Our Lady of Grace Church, Fairview, N.J., 1988 to 1990.

Chaplain and Theology Teacher - Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, 1990 to 1992. Founded the “Italian Conversation Club”, the “Fantasy and Science Fiction Club” (now called, “Speculative Fiction Club”), and the “Ferroequinology Club” (Railroading - Prototypical and Modeling). Faculty Advisor for the “Cum Laude” program.

General Secretary of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate - Rome, 1992 to 1998. Chaplain (Assistente Ecclesiastico) to Troop Roma 42 of the “Scouts d’Europa” (Italian Boy and Girl Scouts), 1992 to 1998. Member of the Organizing Committee of the “Union of General Secretaries of Rome”, representing the English speaking Secretaries and providing translation, 1992 to 1998. Chaplain to the “Scuola di Perfezionamento al Tiro dei Carabinieri” (Sharpshooters Training School of the Carabinieri), 1993 to 1998. Spiritual Director and Confessor to the “Pia Casa di Carità” (orphanage founded by St. Vincent Pallotti and still under the care of the Pallottine Sisters), 1993 to 1998.

1998 to 2000, Pastor - Our Lady of Pompeii Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.

April 2000 to October 2003, Rector - Pallottine Seminary at Green Hill.

October 2003 to 2006, Vice Rector and Chaplain - Bishop Eustace Prep School. Assisting the “Italian Conversation Club”, the “Speculative Fiction Club”, the “Ferroequinology Club”, the “Sign language Club”, and a Faculty Advisor for the “Cum Laude” program.

2005 to 2008 - Assistant Chaplain for the Boy Scouts of America through the Camden Diocesan Office, and Volunteer Chaplain for the Battleship New Jersey (BB62).

June 2006 appointed Vocation Director of the Immaculate Conception Province of the Pallottines.

November 2008 moved to Our Lady of Pompeii parish.

July 2009 appointed Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Pompeii in Brooklyn, NY.

September 2015 - transferred to serve as Rector of the Community at St. Jude Shrine and Pastor of St. Leo’s Parish in Baltimore, MD.

In each Apostolate I have responded to requests for days of recollection, retreats, weekend help-outs, marriages and baptisms, Masses on special occasions or anniversaries, Mission Appeals, etc.

FAMILY: Mom (Mary Mathilda Berglund, RN) passed away 24 November 1988. Dad (Bernard Patrick Carman, Sr., “Hank”) passed away 4 July 2002. I have two younger Brothers - Charles Augustus (born 5 May 1954), living on his own in South Jersey, divorced with one son (Vincent); and Kenneth Seville (born 5 March 1957), living in the family home in Magnolia with his wife (Diane), son (James), and daughter (Lynly).

LANGUAGES: I can communicate, celebrate Mass and Sacraments, and preach in English, Italian, Spanish, German, and American Sign Language. I can read and understand Portuguese and French. I have served as a simultaneous translator at meetings and Assemblies of the Pallottine Community and the General Secretaries in Rome.

TRAVEL: As a result of joining the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines) I have spent eleven years of my life in Rome, Italy. I also visited Cairo, Egypt; Poland; Germany; England; Ireland; France; Switzerland; Canada; and I spent a month visiting missions of my community in India.

HOBBIES: As long as I can remember I have liked trains. I have built a couple of model railroads, starting at home, and then wherever there was space and a little time.

About just as long I have had a great interest in real science and science fiction. I saw the first episode of Star Trek in 1966 and have followed the five TV series and ten movies ever since. I am a member in good standing of the “Star Trek Italian Club”, the national Star Trek Club in Italy. So far I have been able to attend the annual conventions in Italy. I have two First Prizes, one Second Prize, one Third Prize, and one Special Prize for their costume contests. I wish I had the time to complete my own Science Fiction story, which I have had in mind for many years now, and for which I have written a couple of chapters and drawn many pictures. I am one of the fans interviewed in the movie, “Trekkies 2" by Paramount Pictures (2004).

Related to this, because it is a scientific interest, is my fascination with entomology (the study of insects), especially myrmecology (the study of ants). I usually have a couple of ant farms in my room with active colonies in them. VOCATION: In the Sixth Grade, when I transferred to the Parish School, I became an Altar Boy. That same year, one Spring night, I was wondering what I wanted to be when I grew up. The thought just came to me, “why not a priest?” I began to imagine myself doing what the Diocesan priests did in the parish, and it just seemed right. The thought has stayed with me for more than 25 years now.

DEAF MINISTRY: I have always been fascinated by sign language. Some of the science fiction stories I have read involved forms of gesture language. A course was offered by the Diocese of Brooklyn in ASL for any priests who wanted to learn it. I began the course the second time I was assigned there (December 1998). The course ended suddenly, without an explanation, and I was then transferred unexpectedly to our Seminary near Washington. As I was getting re-oriented in the area, I wondered if there was an office for Deaf Ministry, found there was, and called about lessons. It turned out they really needed some help, so they set up instructions for me and I added a new dimension to my ministry. Upon returning to Bishop Eustace, I sometimes assisted with the Deaf Catholic Community at St. Gregory’s Church, under the direction of Fr. Brian O’Neill - head of Ministry to the Deaf for the Diocese of Camden.

Having then returned to Our Lady of Pompeii I sought opportunities to celebrate Mass in sign. I’ve had the chance with a funeral and with a local housing committee.