Cranor, Bernard, Fr., O.S.B.

Fr. Bernard Cranor has been a Benedictine at the Monastery of Christ in the Desert since 1989. He began his monastic experience at Holy Trinity in Utah from 1951-1956, taking the name Stephen. He did not take solemn vows there, but decided to study for the Dominicans in California, where he would take the name Bernard and remain there as a priest until joining the Benedictines. It is during this time of his studies with the Dominicans that he has an exchange of letters with Merton. He was friends with another Merton correspondent, Br. Antoninus (William Everson), to whom Merton sends his greetings.