Irish-descent brother celebrates 50

They say that first impressions last.

The first time I talked with Brother Richard, it left an indelible mark that would linger on my memory for life. For those who don’t know him, Brother Richard is one of the members of the congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart that owned and managed Cor Jesu College in Digos City. To a lot, he helps in the office of finance. To a few, he is more than a person behind the finance’s window.

Born to Mr. Jean-Paul Belanger and Mrs. Gertrude Ladouceur-Belanger, Br. Richard Joseph Jean-Paul Belanger, SC is the first-born among three children. He spent his elementary years in Ducharme Grade School from 1952-1960. After that, he proceeded to secondary education at the Sacred Heart Scholastic in Embuen. He later moved to Novitiate to prepare for religious life. He made his first profession of vows on August 15, 1965. His schooling did not stop there as he spent two years in college in the Scholastical Central in Montreal and a year in Teacher’s College in Ottawa.

After college, he started his career as a teacher and spent two years at the Sacred Heart Juniorate performing this noble profession. He spent the next seven years travelling three hours by car to teach 110 students of the Bellegarde School in Saskatchewan which was funded by the government. The school, however, closed down after because of the decision made by his fellow brothers to leave. But during the course of his teaching, Canadian missionaries from the Philippines used to visit there. He became attracted to this. Upon sensing this desire from him, the provincial supervisor at that time offered him a chance to teach in the Philippines. And so, in preparation for Asian adventure, he went back to schooling right after the shutdown of Bellegarde and studied for one year at the University of Ottawa, commencing with Honors the Bachelor of Science major in Mathematics, minor in Computer degree.

In April of 1980, he arrived in the Pearl of the Orient Sea.

To prepare him further for his new teaching experience in the Philippines, he spent the first seven months of his stay at Maryknoll Language School in Davao City. He underwent two hours in individual tutorial and immersed in the household of Cabardo Family in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur for two weeks. That gives an explanation about his impressive fluency of the Cebuano language; he studied and lived with it.

In 1981, he became a part of the Cor Jesu College Faculty teaching Mathematics for eight years. In 1989-1991, he became in charge of the construction of the grade school which is at present, Tres de Mayo campus. After the construction, he spent a year taking charge of those who want to join the Brothers, the Postulates. In 1992 to 1994, he became master of novice. And for 15 years, he became the finance director of Cor Jesu College.

Brother Richard may sound like a Superman in all of his works as he is always needed! But though we might like to believe in that, he is still human like us.

On August 6, 2009, he underwent a heart bypass at Mindanao Heart Center in Davao City. After the operation, he rested for two years and went to school.

As if his service to the school is not enough, he later decided to celebrate his birthday, December 24, with the children of 1st Crumb and Llanos Street in Digos City. He usually held his birthday parties in swimming pools but recently decided to hold it in the school instead. He not only treats the kids with food, but also solicits for them school supplies and pairs of slippers.

All in all, Brother Richard, with his initiative and inherent desire to give has showered the kids with the kind of attention that they all need and deserve. It is the kind that seldom comes but is constant and sincere. It is no wonder why Brother Richard is loved and adored by many.

While everyone may see him as someone who is hard to approach, that is only a myth now debunked. He is a Religious Brother by calling, a teacher by career and desire, and a friend at heart.

He celebrated his 50th Golden Jubilee of his Religious life last September 27. AMETUR COR JESU! AMETUR COR MARIAE! (Nemric Kiel Umali | Digos)