Posted on: Wednesday, December 1, 2004
1940-2004
Damien's 'Brother B' was always there to help
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
The students called him "Brother B" for short. Or "the man in black" because of his fondness for clothes of that color. He was their teacher, counselor, morale booster, confidant. He taped ankles and wrists for the football team — and their opponents — and put ice on the injuries. He would interrupt a class to open the locker of a kid who had forgotten his key, with never a chiding word.
Photo courtesy of Damien Memorial School On Sunday, Brother Karl Canisius Berndlmaier, 64, collapsed of a heart attack during a school retreat. It happened just as the assemblage was setting up for spiritual prayer circles in which participants shared troubles in small groups, with lighted candles flickering in the center of each.
He died an hour later at Wahiawa General Hospital, after telling everyone not to worry, that he would be all right.
Tomorrow morning, 550 students from the Catholic boy's school on Houghtailing Street will mourn his passing with a solemn march between the school and St. Theresa's Co-Cathedral, with five students and the camp rector serving as pallbearers for the service that follows.
"He was a cool teacher, a cool guy," said senior Michael Ah Chong, one of the student pallbearers and one of the students attending the retreat weekend when Berndlmaier collapsed. "He always helped everybody."
A prayer service will be held at 7:30 p.m. today at the chapel at Damien Memorial School for Brother Karl Canisius Berndlmaier, who died Sunday. At 9:15 a.m. tomorrow the coffin will leave the chapel for services at St. Theresa's Co-Cathedral. A march of students and faculty from Damien to the Co-Cathedral will begin at 9:30 a.m., with services to follow. Berndlmaier will be buried at Hawaiian Memorial Park. "He was everywhere," said Powell. "Our teacher, our college counselor. He also went to plenty sporting events as a trainer and to help tape. When there was a long line to get taped he'd just start helping."
Even students who have left Damien remember Berndlmaier fondly. Yesterday, a letter of condolence for the Catholic brothers arrived from Nick Zieser, who graduated last year and is studying at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
"His countless hours devoted to everyone but himself is truly an inspiration," wrote Zieser of his former teacher. "He truly was a great man and he will be missed."
Berndlmaier was a life-long teacher and learner who entered the Catholic brotherhood right out of high school in New York. He spent a lifetime guiding students and adding credentials to his name. During his years teaching he earned three master's degrees at night school and innumerable certificates. Counselor, licensed clinician, marriage and family therapist, addictions counselor, career counselor.
"He had a tremendous insight into the fact that one size does not fit all," said Brother Greg O'Donnell, Damien school president. "He was always trying to figure out what it was that each kid needed for that young man to succeed. He was constantly counseling one kid one way and another another."
He also had eight certificates for first aid training. On Mother's Day 1999, when the cliffs behind Sacred Falls collapsed into the popular pool that was crowded with Hawai'i families and tourists, Berndlmaier was one of the first to respond, called in by the Red Cross.
"He was one of those who provided a lot of grief counseling for a lot of the victims," said Brent Limos, Damien campus minister. "He was CPR- and first aid-certified and probably doing a lot of that, too."
Always game to try something new, Berndlmaier pitched in where there was a need. He scavenged for soda cans in the school rubbish bins, recycled them and gave the money to Catholic charities. He took it upon himself to be in charge of collecting spare change during religion classes to send to missions in Peru.
And when elderly immigrants needed help with English in order to pass the citizenship exam, he held classes in his office.
"He would start dinner at 6 p.m. and be done at 6:15 and be walking out the door so he could teach these elderly people English," said O'Donnell. "We put a note on the door 'We regret to inform you that Brother Berndlmaier passed away,' and an elderly Asian lady was standing outside his door just crying."
His personal office was messy, his desk cluttered, but it was his outer office, with the big table, where students gathered for help with homework, and where he liked to work.
"If the job needed to be done, he'd go and do it," said O'Donnell. "If he didn't know something, he'd read a book and find out. Once he was coaching tennis and I said, 'I don't think you know much about tennis,' and his answer was, 'Not yet, but I'll get there.' "
Student Powell remembers getting help with his search for colleges, and the way Berndlmaier gathered a list of suitable options that fit his criteria — inexpensive, small and a place where his grades would fit.
"He would go the extra mile," said Powell. "He would never say no."
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
He talked faith, feelings and futures, and he had a pat on the back or a kind ear for hundreds of students who have passed through Damien Memorial School in the decade he taught there.
Brother Karl Canisius Berndlmaier, back row center, died Sunday, an hour after suffering a heart attack at a school retreat. Before being taken to Wahiawa General Hospital, he told everyone not to worry.
"He was actually down at our level, more of a friend than a teacher," said Lance Powell, another senior who will serve as a pallbearer.
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