The Benildean community virtually celebrated Benildean Mission Week 2020 (BMW2020), as a way to remember its PatronSaint Benilde Romançon last Oct. 23 to 30, via Benilde CLM and other offices’ Facebook pages.
On Oct. 23, CLM officially started the event on their Facebook page with a video as they look back at their previous years of BMW celebrations from various photographs of their annual events such as Eucharistic Celebrations, booths, and gatherings on campus grounds.
The event was followed by a virtual liveshow of the recitation of the Holy Rosary led by Benildean associates, while another recitation was held the next day, Oct. 24 which was then led by Benildean students.
Moreover, on Oct. 25, the CLM Facebook page premiered a short animated film titled “The Little One: The Life of Saint Benilde,” directed by Benildean faculty Tito Romero and created by ToonBro Animation, a production team composed of students and faculty of the Animation Program, that sequentially retells the life history and legacy of Benilde Romançon, the Lasallian Patron Saint of Vocations.
Furthermore, the event preceded the release of the three entries in the Benilde Center for Social Action (CSA) Facebook Page on Oct. 26, for the video competition “What’s your VIBE?” A BenEx video contest dedicated to representing the Benildean Expression in the new normal, was released on the preceding days until Oct. 29.
Shortly after, they opened a liveshow in CLM Facebook page of the first day of the Triduum of Masses, which followed more of these Eucharistic Celebrations until Oct. 29, in commemoration of the canonization anniversary of Saint Benilde Rommancon presided by Fr. Marco Divine Pangilinan and spearheaded by the CLM along with Benildean Liturgical Choir and Coro San Benildo for the music.
Meanwhile, commemoration posts in Magister were released by Coro San Benildo from Oct. 26 to 30, to give recognition to teachers and dedicated to three Benildean alumni educators and artists for bringing their alma mater and Benildean expression to their professions namely, Snow Toledo, Blaire Liwanag, and Hannah Dela Rosa.
Following, another video was posted by Center for Restorative Discipline (CRD) on Oct. 28 of their journey through the years from being formally known as Office of Student Behavior (OSB) to the present as they showcased their past activities such as seminars, outreach, and other activities.
On Oct. 29, the announcement of winners of the competition “What’s your VIBE?” was released on the CSA Facebook page.
Winners are as follows:
First place: “Extraordinary New Normal by Learning Resources Center (LRC)
Second Place: “Beyond Boundaries” by Center for Student Life (CSL)
Third Place: “Pagmulat” by School of Multidisciplinary Studies (SMS) - Theology-Philosophy Area.
Finally, last Oct. 30, BMW capped off as the community swayed the night with groovy beats, fun-filled activities, and wonderful virtual performances in Benilde’s first ever online UNITE 2020 party featuring well-known bands and artists such as Freestyle Band, Roberto Seña from She’s Only Sixteen, as well as the Benildean-Lasallian artists and performers Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company, Kyla & Jam, Matt Murillo, TALA, The Stray’s, Nobody's Home and Why July, along with bombastic remixes from DJ Mojit Alamchandani and DJ Rammy Bitong.
Benildean Mission Week is an annual event that lauds a week of prayers, Eucharistic Celebrations and fun-filled activities for the founder of the institution Patron Saint Benilde Romançon that forged the foundation of the university from its values, traditions, beliefs and the entirety of the what the college strives to achieve.
Pierre Romançon, or now known as St. Benilde Romançon, had a passion for teaching and became a schoolteacher for children for 40 years and joined as a Lasallian Brother and claimed the name Benilde when he became a follower of John the Baptist de La Salle. He was canonized on October 27, 1967 and became known as the patron saint of vocations that encouraged many to take religious vocations for his commitment and deep faith for teaching the priesthood and religious life.
