Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Conrad of Parzham.

Conrad worked as a porter in Altoetting, Bavaria, for most of his life, allowing visitors to enter the friary and subtly persuading them to accept God into their lives.

Bartholomew and Gertrude Birndorfer, his parents, lived close to Parzham, Bavaria. This area was then recovering from the Napoleonic Wars. Conrad, a young man who loved solitary prayer and worked for peace, became a brother of the Capuchins. In 1852, he became a priest, and Altoetting’s friary came under his care. The adjoining Capuchin friary, where Conrad worked for 41 years as the porter, had plenty of work because the city’s Mary shrine was particularly well-liked.

The fact that such a young friar held such a crucial position first made some of the other friars envious. Conrad’s tenacity and holy way of life persuaded the friars. He interacted with numerous individuals in his capacity as a porter, procuring various friary supplies and generously caring for the underprivileged who knocked on the door. He gave each of them the respect Francis asked of his followers.

It was somewhat unsettling how helpful Conrad was. When Father Vincent needed solitude to write a sermon, he climbed the church bell tower. When someone made a specific request for Father Vincent when seeking absolution, Conrad located him.

Additionally, Conrad forged a particular bond with the local kids. He fervently advocated for the Seraphic Work of Charity, which supported abandoned children.

Conrad prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament for a long time. He frequently prayed for the Blessed Mother to act as a bridge between him and the many people he included. Conrad, a patient man, became a saint in 1934. On April 21, people celebrate his liturgical feast.

Source: franciscanmedia.org