1904 – 1970 (October 24)
Bernard Thomas McConville was born in Germantown, PA. on August 11, 1904, to Peter J. McConville and Margaret Conlon. He was baptized on August 28, 1904, at Immaculate Conception Church, Philadelphia, and received the Sacrament of Confirmation on May 20, 1915 at Our Mother of Consolation Church, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. Following graduation from Our Mother of Consolation Parochial School, Bernard enrolled in the Augustinian Preparatory Scholasticate at Villanova, where he earned his high school diploma. He was received into the novitiate on June 21, 1923, and professed simple vows on June 22, 1924, and solemn vows on June 22, 1927. He earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Villanova College, Villanova, in 1927, and then pursued theological studies at Augustinian College, Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1930 in Washington, and also did graduate studies at Villanova College and received a Master’s degree in biology in 1931.
His first assignment was teaching at Villanova from 1931 to 1937. He was then named assistant at Saint Clare’s parish in Grosse Pointe, MI and from that time on remained in the Chicago Province. In 1941 he was assigned to Saint Thomas High School in Rockford and served as Principal there from 1943 to 1944. He was then stationed at Saint Rita High School in Chicago. From 1953 to 1956 he served as prior and associate pastor of Saint Clare of Montefalco Parish in Chicago. After this he was stationed at Mendel Catholic Preparatory School in Chicago, where he served as teacher and disciplinarian for several years. He remained at Mendel until the time of his death.
Father McConville died on October 24, 1970 from cancer, which had been diagnosed the previous year. The funeral Mass was held at the chapel of Mendel, after which he was buried at Saint Denis Cemetery, Havertown, PA.
