Fr. Edilberto Aguilar de la Peña, O.Carm.
February 24, 1940 – October 23, 2019
Born to parents Constantino and Leonor de la Pena, Bert, as he is known to family, friends, and associates, was born in Mercy Hospital in Pasay City on February 24, 1940 and was baptised in Sta. Lucia Parish in Sasmuan, Pampanga.
He finished his elementary (1953) and secondary (1957) studies in San Beda College in Mendiola, Manila and his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration major in Accounting, magna cum laude, at the University of the East in Manila (1961). He then proceeded to Wharton School of Finance in Pennsylvania, USA for a Master’s Degree of Business Administration, finishing in 1963 with his dissertation, “Comparison between Budgets and Standard Costs.”
In June 1995 he took up his Bachelor’s degree in Theology at the Catholic Theological College in Melbourne, Australia, finishing in 1999.
He entered the Carmelite novitiate on June 2, 2004 at the Spring of Carmel Novitiate House in Quezon City with Fr. Anton Hoogland, O.Carm. as novice master. He had his first profession on June 4, 2005 after completing his novitiate and was then assigned to San Alberto Carmelite Formation Center in Talamban, Cebu City where he served for three years in various capacities.
On August 6, 2008 he solemnly professed his vows at Titus Brandsma Center before Fr. Artemio D. Jusayan, O.Carm., the commissary general at the time. He was then assigned to be the assistant commissary bursar of the then General Commissariat and director for finance of the Institute of Spirituality in Asia. At the same time he was a member of the Commission on Finance, the Young Carmel Philippines Foundation, and the Committee on Land Development.
On June 24, 2009 he was ordained a deacon at the Bishop’s Chapel in San Carlos City by Bishop Jose F. Advincula, then bishop of the Diocese of San Carlos, and on December 5 of the same year, was ordained to the priesthood at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, also by Bp. Advincula.
In 2011 he was given chaplaincy assignments and appointed as spiritual director on top of his obligation as assistant commissary bursar and as member of the Commission on Finance and the Young Carmel Philippines Foundation.
He continued with his chaplaincy work and spiritual direction ministry as a member of St. Teresa of Avila Community in Quezon City until mid 2017, when he was transferred to San Alberto Community in Cebu City as a resident friar of Cebu Carmel, serving in various capacities.
He passed away in the grace of our Lord and in the presence of his Carmelite brothers on October 23, 2019 in Cebu City.
Today, we celebrate the life of Fr. Bert, a gift to Philippine Carmel and the church in the Philippines, and remember him in our prayers. (By Br. Ritche Salgado, O.Carm.)