With faith in the resurrection, the Lasallian Family in the sector of the Philippines and in the Lasallian East Asia District [LEAD] announce the passing of Br. Benildo Feliciano FSC this morning, 08 July 2019. He was 82 years old, and a De La Salle Brother for 64 years.
Wake will be at St. La Salle Chapel (GS Chapel), La Salle Green Hills starting tomorrow, July 9. Mass will be celebrated every evening at 8:00pm on July 9 and 10 (Tuesday & Wednesday). Final mass in Manila will be at 9:00pm on July 11, Thursday.
For those who would wish to visit, kindly enter thru Gate 6 (with cars) or Gate 4B (without cars) along Ortigas Ave.
His remains will be brought to Lipa City, Batangas on July 12, Friday for the Mass of the Resurrection at Capilla De San Juan Bautista De La Salle at 10:00am. Afterwards, he will be laid to rest in the Brothers’ Memorial Cloister.
Excerpts from “Br. Benildo Feliciano FSC: The Commander” by Ma. Lourdes S. Bautista
The name “The Commander” entered the consciousness of the Lasallian community - going beyond simply the La Salle Brothers - at the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Reception of the Habit of Br. Benildo Feliciano and Br. Andrew Gonzalez on November 20, 2005. In his homily during the Mass, Br. Visitor Edmundo Fernandez said this of Br. Benildo: “As young Brothers, we greatly feared Benildo and uttered nary a word in front of him. He had become a legend to us long before he was fifty and we gave him the name, more a term of endearment, The Commander. But once we got to know him, we got to love him very, very much.”
In the annals of the Christian Brothers in the Philippines, Br. Benildo Feliciano stands out as a towering figure - the first Filipino Brother, the first Filipino Brother Visitor, the first Filipino General Councillor in Rome. He is inevitably referred to as the Master Builder of the Institute in the Philippines. He is also endearingly referred to as The Commander.
RELIGIOUS CONSECRATION
Postulancy: 10 April - 20 Nov 1955, Baguio
Habit-Taking: 20 Nov 1955, Baguio
Novitiate: 20 Nov 1955, Baguio
First Vows: 21 Nov 1956, Baguio
Scholasticate: 22 Nov 1956 - March 1960, Winona, Minnesota, USA
Perpetual Vows: 30 May 1962, Green Hills
TOUR OF DUTY
DATE ASSIGNMENT POSITION HELD
1960-1961 De La Salle College, Manila GS & HS Teacher
1961-1964 La Salle Academy, Iligan High School Teacher
1964-1967 La Salle College, Bacolod Grade School Principal
1967-1970 La Salle Academy, Iligan Director & Principal
1970-1971 Scholasticate, Manila Scholasticate Director
1971-1976 Provincialate, Philippine District Provincial
1976-1986 Generalate, Rome General Councillor
1986-1987 St. Mary’s College, Moraga, California Graduate Studies
1987-1991 De La Salle University, Manila University Registrar
1991-1993 De La Salle University, Manila Senior VP for Internal Operations
1993-1997 Provincialate, Philippine District Provincial
1997-2003 ICC-La Salle, Ozamiz President
2003-2005 De La Salle University, Manila Community Director Purchasing Officer
2005-2012 De La Salle University, Manila Community Director
2012-2019 Residencia, Dasmariñas, Cavite
Eternal rest grant unto Benildo, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
“O God, by whose favor your servant, Brother Benildo, was called to the religious life and who witnessed to the message of salvation by his dedication to Christian education, grant that he may be admitted to your eternal friendship with those who have likewise zealously labored in Your Vineyard. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
