Conrad of Parzham

Conrad of Parzham (22 December 181821 April 1894) was a German Capuchin lay brother who served for over 40 years in the post of porter of the Capuchin friary in Altötting. During his time there, he gained a widespread reputation for his wisdom and holiness. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and his feast is 21 April.

Life

Early life Born 22 December 1818, he was baptized with the name of John, the son of Bartholomäus Birndorfer and Gertrude Niedermayer, and was born on the family farm in Parzham, now a part of the town of Bad Griesbach, then in the Kingdom of Bavaria, now part of Germany. Baptized Johann Evangelist, he was the second youngest of 12 children, five of whom died in infancy.

At the age of six, he started elementary school in nearby Weng. His devotion was noticeable, especially when he prayed in church. The distant location was no hindrance to his visiting it frequently, even in inclement weather. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and each day fervently recited the rosary. On feast days he frequently made a journey to some remote shrine of the Blessed Mother. During such pilgrimages, always made on foot, he was engaged in prayer, and when he returned in the evening, he was usually still fasting. The friary served the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting, the national shrine of Bavaria to the Blessed Mother. Conrad was given the task of assisting the porter at this shrine. In March 1851, he had to leave Altötting to go to Burghausen to care for a dying priest. The following September, he entered the novitiate at Laufen, where he was given the religious name Conrad in honor of Conrad of Piacenza. Br. Conrad then returned to Altötting as porter. His heroic virtue and the miracles he performed won for him the distinction to be ranked among the Blessed by Pope Pius XI in 1930. Four years later, the same pope, approving additional miracles which had been performed, solemnly inscribed his name in the list of saints.

Br. Conrad is the patron saint of the Mid-America Province of Capuchin Friars. Since 1984 he also is patron saint of the diocese of Passau.