Fr. Bernard (Vicente) Ybiernas of Jesus and Mary was born on May 30, 1925, in Iloilo, Philippines to Vicente and Estrella (Mapa) Ybiernas. As a young boy he grew up with his grandmother in Talisay, Negros Occidental. He was one of the first Filipino Carmelites together with Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen and Fr. Anselmo Cañonero. Before joining the Discalced Carmelite Friars in the United States of America, he finished his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in Ateneo de Manila University. He joined the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Washington Province, USA and entered the novitiate on November 6, 1948. He made his First Profession of the Evangelical Counsels on November 7, 1949. His Solemn Profession of Vows was made on November 7, 1952. He studied Philosophy from the years 1947 to 1951 and his Theological studies in the years 1951 to 1955. His Licentiate studies took place at the International College of the Discalced Carmelites (the Teresianum) in Rome. He went back to the Washington Province (USA) and was ordained on June 4, 1955. He stayed in the USA for a few months and exercised his priestly ministry until he was sent back to the Philippines as a missionary in his own native land. His first assignment was in Polilio Island, Quezon Province where he served as parish priest. He was transferred to Our Lady’s Hill, Bago City to accompany Fr. Gabriel Gates. Three years after, Fr. Gates left the administration of the place to Fr. Bernard who became its director for twenty years. Fr. Bernard was a well-known retreat director and lecturer on Carmelite spirituality. His passion for music was very contagious and he shared this passion with people from all walks of life by giving his world-famous contemplative concerts. For a period of time, he served also as the National Director of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (Philippines) and Spiritual Bacolod based Casa Maria where he gathered women and men for regular prayer sessions. He was Commissar four times when the Philippines was still a Commissariat. The Commissariat was raised into the Province of St. Teresa of Jesus in a General Chapter on May 23, 2015. Fr. Bernard went home to the Father on April 30, 2019, on a Holy Saturday in Bacolod City at around 12:30 noon time. He was 93 years old. In him, we see a passionate and courageous man, Negrense, musician, Discalced Carmelite, who changed lives with his keyboard and a life of prayer, silence, solitude and ministry.