In honor of the canonization anniversary of the College’s patron saint, Saint Benilde Romançon, the Benildean community commemorated Benilde Mission Week 2021 virtually. Spearheaded by the Office of the Vice President for Lasallian Mission and Student Life (OVPLMSL), the week-long event was filled with various activities for Benildean students and associates from Oct. 25 to 30.

In line with the celebration, the College officially unveiled the newest statue of Saint Benilde at the The Atrium lobby, with the blessing of the statue held last Oct. 29 at the newest building of the College, the Atrium. 

“In offering this image [statue] of Saint Benilde, we hope that the image will inspire those who encounter with an admiration for the Saint who embodied in his life and work with humility, deep respect for others and dedication in serving others. We trust that this image will not only prompt admiration but will inspire others to live life similarly,” presider of the holy mass Rev. Fr. Marc Bryan R. Adona, SSS, stated as the new statue of Saint Benilde was unveiled.

The sculptor of the statue, John Paul Duray, had based it off of the previous sculpture located at Plaza Villarosa, Taft Campus. Shifting from his usual sculpting medium resin and fiberglass, he said that being asked to sculpt Saint Benilde’s statue was a challenge considering how it was made from styro, paper mache, and clay. Even so, Duray said the opportunity was something he was grateful for. In doing the studies of the saint’s image, he told Center for Campus Art (CCA) in an interview that he picked the most realistic one as his reference. 

Here’s a recap of the events conducted by the College in honor of Benilde Mission Week 2021:

Emotional Well-being in Times of Crisis on Oct. 26 

In celebration of the Benilde Well-Being Festival and the canonization anniversary of Saint Benilde, Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) launched a webinar titled "Emotional Well-Being in Times of Crisis" via Zoom and Facebook Live. The event featured resource speaker Counselling Professional and former Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) Counselor Mr. Niko Marco Gagolinan RGC, who highlighted the importance of emotional well-being in these times and provided healthy ways of coping with these challenges. 

Holy mass in honor of the canonization anniversary of Saint Benilde at The Atrium on Oct. 29 

The holy mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Adona, SSS of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. The mass officially commenced with the unveiling and blessing of the new statue of Saint Benilde, which was led by Benilde President Br. Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez FSC  and Br. Emmanuel Sia FSC.

UNITE 2021: Back to the Future on Oct. 29

Spearheaded by Benilde’s Student Trainers, “UNITE 2021: Back to the Future” featured Benildean talents and local artists such as Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company, Catharsis, A.V.D.I, Motion Picture Blur, Sinoda, The Strays, DJ Sev Laudico, Pixie Labrador, Lola Amour, and P-pop group BINI via Facebook live.

In line with the celebration, various webinars for Benildean students and associates were also launched, such as the “Benilde Community Fellowship for Students”and “Benilde Community Fellowship for Associates” held by the Benilde Central Student Government (CSG), “Benilde brAke for Administrators”  and “Understanding social and emotional learning for educators”  spearheaded by BWC, and  and a virtual Career Fair 2021 for graduating Benildean students, spearheaded by the Career and Placement Unit in partnership with Human Resource Management Society. 

Benildean Mission Week is an annual event commemorated by the Benildean community through Eucharistic Celebration and fun-filled activities in honor of its patron saint, the founder of the institution. The event is rooted in the foundation of the College’s values, traditions, and beliefs.

Pierre Romançon, also known as Saint Benilde Romançon, was a school teacher for children for 40 years. He 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 Oct. 29, 1967, and is now known as the patron saint of vocations. His faith and zeal encouraged many to pursue religious vocations and priesthood.