Born Thomas Barry on October 2, 1866 in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, New York, he was the son of David Barry and Bridget Cronin. In his early years he worked for the newspapers. At 23 years of age, in 1890, he was accepted into the Passionist Preparatory Seminary at Dunkirk, New York. Later that same year he went to the novitiate at Pittsburgh. He was professed on January 20, 1892 and received the name Bertrand. He was ordained on June 4, 1898 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Newark, New Jersey by Bishop Wigger.
His first six years were spent as a curate at St. Michael, West Hoboken, New Jersey. The next six years he was Rector of St. Michael Monastery and pastor of the parish. For the succeeding twenty years he preached missions and retreats. In 1911, at the close of his second term as Rector he was afflicted with a serious illness from which he never recovered. In 1922 he suffered a stroke, and again in 1926. He could only do light work in neighboring parishes. He died at St. Vincent Strambi Retreat in Riverdale, New York.