Father Bernard Joseph Steiner, age 91, of New Ulm passed away peacefully on Friday, June 19, 2026, at the New Ulm Medical Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 29, 2026 at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity with Bishop Chad W. Zielinski celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in the St. George Cemetery.

Prayer Service will be at 3:45 p.m. Sunday, June 28, 2026 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home NORTH CHAPEL in New Ulm.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 28, 2026 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home NORTH CHAPEL in New Ulm. Visitation will continue Monday from 10 - 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm.

To leave an online condolence for his family, or to sign the guestbook, go to: mvfh.org

Father Bernard Joseph Steiner was born on November 4, 1934, in New Ulm, Minnesota, the child of Ben and Rose (Vait) Steiner. He attended Holy Trinity Grade and High School in New Ulm, Minnesota. After graduating from high school in 1952, he attended St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, for one year. He then spent two years at Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary in St. Paul. He continued his studies for the priesthood at the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of New Ulm on February 19, 1961, by Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler.

During his years of ministry he served as assistant pastor at St. Raphael in Springfield, Holy Redeemer in Marshall, and Holy Rosary in North Mankato. He then became pastor at St. James in Dawson and St. Isidore in Clarkfield; St. Gregory in Lafayette and St. Francis de Sales in Winthrop; St. John in Appleton and St. Joseph in Holloway; St. Paul in Comfrey; St. Michael in Madison and St. James in Dawson; administrator of St. Andrew in Granite Falls; St. Clara in Clara City and Sacred Heart in Raymond; co-pastor of the Benson Area Parishes; pastor at St. Mathias in Wanda and St. Thomas in Sanborn and St. Joseph in Lamberton; St. Brendan in Green Isle and sacramental minister at St. John in Faxon Township, St. Thomas in Jessenland, and St. Joseph in Henderson.

Father Steiner served on the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, the Committee for Administration of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Diocesan Finance Council of the Diocese of New Ulm; in addition, he served as regional moderator for the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. He also was a member of the Way of the Cross Committee.

Father Steiner retired July 1, 2005, and lived in New Ulm. In retirement he served in various parishes on weekends and at Good Counsel Convent in Mankato. From 1995-2015 he was active in presenting Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends. He offered Eucharist on a regular basis at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.

Father Steiner was preceded in death by his parents; he is survived by his sister Elizabeth and her husband John Morley of Forest Lake, Minnesota, and his nephews Joseph (Jayne) Morley of Cambridge, Minnesota, and Michael Morley of Forest Lake, Minnesota; and nieces Mary Kay (Ray) Scheierl of Forest Lake, Minnesota; Rosemarie (Jim) Condon of Downers Grove, Illinois; Ann (Tom) Myers of Plymouth, Minnesota; and by 12 grandnieces and grandnephews; 20 great grandnieces and great grandnephews.

Memorials are preferred to New Ulm Diocese Priests Retirement Fund.

The family extends their gratitude to the staff at Orchard Hill and New Ulm Medical Center for their compassionate care, kindness, and patience.