RIP: 15/05/2022 - La Estrella, Medellín
Fr. Bernardo Ospina Hoyos was born on 24 November 1933 in Aguabonita in Manzanares-Caldas. He grew up in a deeply Catholic family and after completing his primary school studies, he went to the Divine Saviour Minor Seminary in La Estrella - Antioquia. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree, he entered the novitiate in Bogotá. Under the tutelage of Fr. Maurino Rast, he successfully completed this period of introduction to religious life and was admitted to first profession, which he made on 2 February 1955. After his philosophy studies in Bogotá, he went to the Minor Seminary Divino Salvador de la Estrella for a year of pastoral experience. He was then sent to the Hispano-American Seminary in Logroño, Spain, for another two years of teaching. In 1965 he finished his theology studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he was ordained priest on 25 April 1965. During his active apostolic life, Fr. Bernardo devoted himself to parish ministry, as vicar and parish priest, but he also worked in education and formation of Salvatorian formandi, as novice master and rector of scholastics. Internally in the Salvatorian community, he served on several occasions as superior of the community and provincial counsultor. His last move was to the Salvatorian community in La Estrella in 2015, where he served for a time as chaplain of Colegio Divino Salvador. During the last years, despite his physical health put more and more limitations, Fr. Bernardo always remained a cheerful and attentive confrere with a good sense of humour. He died on 15 May 2022, accompanied by his confreres. He was 88 years old and had been a Salvatorian for 67 years.