September 28, 2016
This is to inform you that FR. HILARIO R. BELARDO, S. J. died about 5 p.m. on September 27, 2016 in the Jesuit Health and Wellness Center, Loyola Heights. Fr. Belardo, 89, entered the Society on 20 June 1950 and was ordained to the presbyterate on 13 June 1964.
Wake: The wake begins this afternoon in the Oratory of St. Ignatius, Loyola House of Studies, Loyola Heights, Q.C. Daily wake Masses at 8 p.m.
Funeral Mass: On Saturday, 1 October at 8:30 a.m. in the Oratory of St. Ignatius, LHS.
Interment: Sacred Heart Novitiate Jesuit Cemetery, right after the Funeral Mass.
BIOGRAPHY OF FR. HILARIO R. BELARDO, SJ
Sch. Amado T. Tumbali SJ
Asst. Province Archivist
Fr. Hilario Ramos Belardo, S.J. was born on 14 January 1927 in Silang, Cavite where he finished grade school at Silang Elementary School in 1940. He started secondary studies at Malate Catholic School (1940-1942) but was interrupted on account oforld War II. In 1945-1948, he took typing and stenography lessons at Gregg Secretarial School, Manila. Afterwards, he continued high school in Infant Jesus Academy, Silang and graduated in 1948.
He was an aeronautical engineering student at Feati Institute, Manila when he joined the Jesuits at Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches on 20 June 1950. Some of his batchmates were Carlos Abesamis, Guido Arguelles, Joaquin Bernas, Rafael Borromeo, Jesus Fernandez, Ramon Enojado, Alfredo Balinong, Ernesto Javier, Domingo Macalam, Francisco Perez, Pedro Sevilla, and Felixberto Trinidad. After two years of novitiate and three years of juniorate, he went to Berchmans College, Cebu City to study Philosophy (1955-1958). He did his regency at Ateneo de Tuguegarao High School (1958-1961) where he taught Religion and Math. He was also prefect of boarders and moderator of ACIL, intramurals, and athletics. He took up Theology at Weston College, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (1961-1965) where he earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology. He was ordained together with Fr. Ernesto Javier on 13 June 1964 by Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston at Weston College Chapel; 16 other Philippine Jesuits were ordained in Fordham, West Baden, Holy Trinity (Innsbruck), St. Michael’s (Brussels), and Mexico. He did tertianship at Our Lady of Martyrs, Auriesville, New York, U.S.A. (September 1965-June 1966) and professed final vows on 15 August 1967 at Immaculate Conception Chapel, Ateneo de Cagayan.
Fr. Ayong’s (or Fr. Bel’s) first assignment as a priest was guidance counseling and teaching in Ateneo de Cagayan High School (1966-1971, 1973-1982). He was again guidance counselor and teacher in Ateneo de Davao High School (1971-1973) and Ateneo de Naga High School (1973-1998). In Naga, he was also director of religious formation (1993-2000) and student counselor (2001-2010) in high school. In his retirement, the community that he lived with for 4 decades took care of him. He was transferred to the Jesuit Health and Wellness Center about a month ago, where at age 89 years, Fr. Ayong died from complications of kidney failure on 27 September.
Fr. Belardo’s 50 years of priesthood were spent in the service of high school students and can be summed up in two activities: teaching and guidance counseling; 34 years were spent in Naga.