Conrad of Parzham was short in stature and in his old age was almost completely bald. "He used to walk with his head bent and eyes cast down, but if you looked into his face you saw the light of his spirituality."

In the words of those who knew him, "I spoke very little with the servant of God. He was very sparing of words." "I could only speak of religious matters with him." "He showed no interest in the latest news or gossip." "He never uttered a superfluous word even when I tried to engage him in conversation." "He was a hidden saint. I was impressed by his silence, his continual prayer and his serenity."

When anyone met him at the door for the first time he might get the impression that the porter was a gruff and moody friar. But first impressions can be misleading. Bro. Quirinius Schwiekl, assistant cabinetmaker at Laufen, was of the opinion that Bro. Conrad might have been considered backward when he applied for admission to the Order because he had so little to say. Some people, too, at first misunderstood his silence and attributed it to a poor education rather than to the requirements of his religious life. It is commonly thought that good rapport with others requires much talking, the ability to sustain a conversation, and never to be at a loss for words. Bro. Conrad was not capable of this. He spoke little, without lacking sensitivity to the feelings of others.

His usual expressions were, "In God's name" and "As the good Lord wills." He took to heart the words of St. Francis that the friars are to speak "with brevity." The only exception he might make was when speaking with benefactors or other lay people whom he knew very well. Then he might carry on a little conversation. But if the talk was long drawn out, or touched with current events, he would cut it short with, "This is idle talk... useless words." His conversation always reverted to prayer. "Let us pray much; let us pray for one another." When some of his friends were disturbed by the anti-Catholic movement known as the Kulturkampf, he said, "The dear Lord knows what is going on. We must pray. The good Lord will take pity. We must not lose patience." He encouraged others with words like, "Always have trust and everything will turn out all right. Don't worry; this too will pass away. Continue to pray. It is a cross sent by God which we must carry patiently. If you cannot pray always, keep God in mind."

He was capable of dealing firmly with the poor and beggars but always in a kind way. He quickly got rid of pietistic ladies. Bro. Primus Häusler, the tailor, said that Conrad actually found it difficult to converse with people but he never complained; he found his support in his faith. "Yes, it really is a cross. I have to bear it. Then it will become easier."

Bro. Conrad belongs in the ranks of the strong silent men of the Church.

His fifth resolution stated, "I resolve to speak briefly and so avoid many pitfalls and be better able to converse with God." In a letter of Oct. 3, 1873, he wrote, "Let us always endeavor to lead a truly interior life hidden in God. It is such a beautiful experience to converse with the good Lord. If we are truly recollected, nothing can stand in our way, even in the midst of the work our vocation requires of us. We will come to love silence, because whoever talks much will never arrive at a truly interior life." One witness describes the brother's love for silence: "His bearing was always recollected. His glance was turned inward, toward God dwelling in his heart, with whom he was always in contact.

Sometimes the children complained to their parents that they could not get Bro. Conrad to talk much. One mother answered, "Take care that you don't offend him. He is a saint and is always in the presence of God.

That is why he does not look up or say much." The children watched him closely, trying to discover the secret of his holiness. One of them later said, "We found him reserved like children everywhere they found annoying ways to test him. They managed to find out which fathers were at home and which were away and then one after the other at regular intervals they would ask him to call some priest they knew was absent.

Or they would ring the bell and run away. But they were never able to make the old porter lose his temper. He remained calm no matter how often they called him.

He had a penetrating look. It was commonly believed that he could read minds. Once a novice committed a sin of thought. He recalled, "While I was table I glanced at Bro. Conrad and noticed that he was looking at me with an accusing eye. I was deeply disturbed. But after I confessed my sin, his look was friendly once more."

A priest recalled, "One day I had the misfortune to commit a mortal sin. I went to Altoetting to go to confession and asked Brother to open the door of the enclosure for me. He received me with unwonted coolness and did not even kneel down to kiss my hand as he always did when greeting a priest. After making my confession I met him again and this time he acted completely different. He was very friendly and kissed my hand. Evidently he could read my soul.

Fr. Julius Voell tells a touching story. "Although Bro. Conrad hardly overlooked anyone in the face he would from time to time glance at some of the young workers who were poor in material things and even more so in spiritual. When he looked at them they would either slink away without waiting to accept anything or else go to the church and remain there in prayer for a long time. One day one of them came to my confessional crying uncontrollably. He was not able to speak. I talked to him very gently and asked, 'My dear boy, what's the matter?' He managed to stammer, 'I'm such a terrible sinner!' I asked, 'What made you come to confession a this time?' I can still remember his reply: 'I asked an old Capuchin brother for a piece if bread and he gave me a look that pierced the very depths of my soul.' The boy then made his confession with a fervor and compunction I have rarely witnessed."

Conrad's face reflected his continual contemplation of the face of God. He gave the impression that he was continually absorbed in contemplation. When he was not busy he could be seen holding a little wooden cross in his hand and gazing lovingly at it. In the little hideaway in the Alexiuszelle he immersed himself in silent prayer. Bro. Primus Häusler who for years was his close companion affirmed, "Whenever he came out of that little room he seemed totally transfigured, as if rapt from this world. His look was heavenly."

He was not a great reader. He had his sister send him just two little books. One of them was the Imitation of Christ. He used to say, "The cross is my book. One look at the cross teaches me what to do on any occasion. It is there that I learn humility and patience to carry my cross, which then becomes light." Bro. Primus added, "Bro. Conrad often spoke about the saints and their virtues, especially about the saints and blessed of the Franciscan order. He had a special devotion to our seraphic father St. Francis, Bl. Felix of Nicosia and St. Seraphin of Montegranaro whom he took as his models."

He was also devoted to St. Joseph and St. Anna, likewise to St. John Nepomucene, the martyr of the seal of confession, represented as holding his finger over his mouth. He use to say, "Our holy Father Francis and the saints of our Order were as familiar with God and our Blessed Mother as a child with its father." He himself reveals much about his interior life in some letters written in a trembling hand between 1872 and 1873 to an unknown Tertiary. "My way of life consists above all in loving and suffering while contemplating, adoring, and admiring the love of God for us poor creatures. I will unite myself to the love of my God at all times until the end. I am continually united with His love, and nothing stands in my way. While carrying out my many duties I am often so intimately united with Him that I talk with Him as confidently as a child with his father. I tell him all my concerns, my wishes, whatever bothers me, and I beg Him to give me His grace with the greatest confidence, even after committing some imperfections. Then I beg Him with all humility to pardon me because I want to become a good son. I want to love Him with all my heart.

"Let us give ourselves over completely to our dear and good heavenly Father. Let us always love Him, and our hearts will be enlarged. There must be no standing still. Our love must become a flame which destroys within us all that does not unite us intimately with Him.

"I am always happy and content in God. I accept all things, pleasant or unpleasant, gratefully from our dear heavenly Father. He knows what is best for us and so I am always happy in God. I try to love Him very much. There is only one thing that grieves me, and that is that I love Him so little. If I could become a seraph of love I would call on all creatures to help me love my God. I must close now. I could go on and on. Love has no limits. I would have to write much more but I don't have the time. The bell is ringing to call me once more to praise God."

Here we find capsulated all the wisdom of Bro. Conrad. It was from this supernatural love that he drew the strength to place himself at the service of all as a beast of burden. He was not given to ecstasies, but he was a great mystic. His glance was constantly fixed on the tabernacle. The little window opening on the altar was a telescope which brought eternity within his view. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was the very heart of his spiritual life. There he found the balance between the active and the contemplative life which is the very soul of Franciscan mysticism. He prayed constantly from the time he worked on his father's farm.

He considered reading newspapers a waste of time. He could learn what was going on in the world from the people he met at the door of the friary. What he heard there was not the distorted versions given out by the media, but fresh and authentic information, printed in the suffering and wretchedness of the poor. Always to remain in the presence of God was the first of his novitiate resolutions. It was to promote this union with God that he isolated himself from others even though many found his behavior strange. He was happy when he did not have to leave the friary.

"You feel at home here," he used to say. When the provincial minister sent him away for a few days for the sake of his health he chose to go to Parzham and stay with his sister where his recollection would not be disturbed.

Bro. Heribert Dummer testified that, "Bro. Conrad prayed incessantly and for that reason was not given to much talk. We were careful not to disturb him without good reason so as not to interrupt his prayers. Once when a brother suggested that he rest longer he replied that if he did this he would not have time to finish his prayers."