Fr. Bernhard Zisyk, CSsR

Fr. Bernhard Zisyk died on 6 of October 2016 in Sumba. Bernhard was a German missionary. He was one of the missionaries sent by Koeln’s Propinsi. One of his brothers was a brother of the Redemptorist's Congregations. Bernhard was known as an accomplished missionary, and this is a little story about my experience with Fr. Bernhard.

2009 was the year when I was in the Redemptorist Novitiate in Wanno Gaspar-Sumba. And this was the first time I met him directly. Actually, I had known him already as a parish priest in a Parish in Sumba, but when I was in the Novitiate it was the first time I talked and had a conversation with him.

Bernhard was known by a lot of Redemptorist’s conferes as a priest who was competent and experienced, particularly in Liturgy and Eucharist. He was called as doctor Madah Bakti (it was a songbook used by all Indonesian Catholics) because he had remembered every song in that book. There were a lot of things that he did when he celebrated the Eucharist, for example, every song at that Eucharist would be sung. And that’s why we always called him doctor “Mada Bakti” (referring to that songbook) and Liturgy.

Even though he was known as a dedicated priest, especially in the liturgy, but overall, he was one of the missionaries who was admired by his peoples. They were amazed by his spirit of preaching tirelessly the Word of God. He was a priest who was always ready to celebrate the Eucharist when asked. Wherever and whatever the situation that he faced he was ready for this assignment.

He would never hesitate to celebrate the Eucharist more than once on a Sunday if needed. The main things that he always remembered were the Eucharist and his novitiate students.  That’s why when he was in a hospital after a motor accident, there were only two things in his mind: Eucharist and evening prayer.

As magister, he was known by his novitiate students as a good priest. He treated all of us alike, his own sons and brothers. He always took care of all of us. For example, when one of us got sick, he would come as Father and gave us a lot of medicine. One of his medicines that we always remembered until now is “antalgin”. Actually, this was a medicine for malaria. But for Fr. Bernhard this had been a medicine for all kinds of sicknesses. That’s why when one of us got sick, with a cough or stomach ache, there was no other medicine except “antalgin”. Amazing, isn’t it?

He also was known as a simple priest. He never complicated his conferess. He will do what he can do. Sometimes we became angry at his attitude. For example, when he was sick we were assigned by Fr. Thomas (our Socius at that time) to look after Fr. Bernhard, but he didn’t want to be looked after. Even though he suffered a knee injury that made it hard for him to walk, he still refused our help.

Anyway, he was still one of the best priests who was always ready with a YES for every assignment given to him by the Congregation’s Superior. Fr. Bernhard, thank you so much for all that you have given to us, especially when you became our Novitiate Magister for one year.  Your way of life as a Redemptorist, particularly your simplicity, was inspiring and pushed all of us to be great Redemptorists. Please pray always for us.