Funeral services set for Brother Palmeri

Brother Bernard Palmeri, CSC, a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross, helped Southeast Texans as a counselor for 17 years while serving the Diocese of Beaumont. He died Dec. 24 at the Brother Vincent Pieau Residence in Austin. He was 74.

“Brother Bernard was a wonderful provider of pastoral care and counseling for Catholic Charities and for our Catholic school system, and a friend to many of us,” said Father Michael Jamail, vicar general of the Diocese of Beaumont.

Services for Brother Palmeri will be held at the chapel of the Brother Vincent Pieau Residence, located at 921 St. Edwards Drive in Austin. A memorial service is scheduled for Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Jan. 5 at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Assumption Cemetery in Austin.

In 1992, Brother Palmeri began working for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Beaumont as an individual, marriage and family counselor. His work included working with Msgr. Kelly Catholic High School and the elementary schools in the diocese. After his health began to decline, he moved to the Brother Vincent Pieau Residence in 2009.

Born in New Orleans, he first met the Brothers of Holy Cross there at Holy Cross School. After high school, he entered the candidate program for Holy Cross at Watertown, Wisc. He was then received as a novice at Rolling Prairie, Ind., where he made his first profession of vows in August 1963.

Brother Palmeri received a bachelor’s degree in business education from St. Edward’s University in Austin. And he later earned a master’s degree in counseling from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

Prior to his service to the diocese, Brother Palmeri had a career as a teacher, coach and counselor at schools served by the Brothers of Holy Cross in California, Florida and Texas. He served as a full-time mental health counselor at St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home in San Antonio. He also served the South-West Province of Holy Cross Brothers as a vocation promoter, candidate director, formation director, and member of the provincial council.