Calaidescope World

RIP, Bro. Rafe

A message from Search-In LSGH. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Bro. Rafe. I had the good fortune of meeting him and working with him as a facilitator of the La Sallian Youth Congress back in college. His passing is a huge loss to the La Sallian community.


Brother Rafael 'Rafe' Donato, FSC, passed away yesterday. He drowned while swimming along the coast of Morong in Bataan. He was missing early afternoon, his body was found several hours later.

Brother Rafe is the Auxiliary Visitor of the Brothers. He was also the former Brother Visitor of the Philippine District, and served as President of La Salle Green Hills, De La Salle University in Taft, De La Salle Bacolod, and De La Salle Lipa.

Although Brother Rafe was never directly involved with the Search-In community, it was through his intervention that the Search-In survived two critical moments in its history. First, around 1986, when there was a move by an authority in the school to put an end to the Search-In, it was Brother Rafe, as President of LSGH, who took our side and allowed us to continue. Then again in 1991, wherein certain persons wanted to change the Search-In program into something totally different, it was Brother Rafe who once again came to our aid.

Brother Rafe celebrated 50 years of being a Christian Brother just two weeks ago. It is a terrible loss to the La Sallian Family that he has departed this life. Yet in faith, we know that he is called home by our Lord, whom he has served well. Please pray for the repose of his soul and for all those who are in grief over his passing.

We have no details yet regarding the wake and the funeral as of this moment. We will keep you udated.

posted by Calai @ 2:56 PM