His parents were István Bárd (Bugyi), a private clerk, and Erzsébet Bayer. He entered the Cistercian Order on August 29, 1947. He took his first vows on August 30, 1947. He left the country during the so-called “Great Escape” of 1950. He took his final vows in Feldkirch. He was ordained a priest on August 6, 1952. He studied in Rome and then lived in the United States starting in 1953. He received citizenship in Chicago, IL, on August 16, 1960. His name disappeared from the priestly registers in 1959; according to sources, he left the priesthood and married Therese Bissen. He then earned a PhD from the University of Washington and went on to study European history. Later, he taught medieval European and world history at Chaminade University of Honolulu.