Josiah Benedict Lidinsky

Brother Josiah Benedict Lidinsky FSC (July 7, 1927 - January 3, 2004), was a De La Salle Brother and widely considered to be an institution among the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines. [http://www.dlsaa.com:8081/dlsaaPublic/brben.html Br. Benedict] [http://www.dlsaa.com:8081 www.dlsaa.com] Accessed August 8, 2006] He has assumed a number of responsibilities in De La Salle University-Manila as well as the Brothers in the Philippines, including teaching, administration, and alumni affairs. Br. J. Benedict died on January 3, 2004.

Early life

John Wenceslaus Edward Lidinsky was born on July 7, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois to John Lidinsky and Rose Kudlata who were Czech immigrants. When he was 13, he entered the La Salle Institute Novitiate in Glencoe, Missouri. His years in the junior novitiate inspired him to finalize his vows as a Christian Brother in 1952.

After the La Salle Institute, Br. Benedict then proceeded to study in Minnesota's St. Mary's College and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Math and Physics. After graduation, he was assigned to teach in several collegest in the United States and was eventually appointed Dean of Discipline and the Guidance Director at the De La Salle Academy in Kansas City.

Assignment to the Philippines

After taking up graduate studies in math at Notre Dame University in Indiana, Br. Benedict was assigned to the Philippines. He was then assigned to the High School Department as its Principal by Br. H. Gabriel Connon FSC, who was then the President and Director of the De La Salle College, and Provincial of the Brothers in the Philippines. He then moved to the College's Engineering Department, where his mastery of the Spanish language and Mathematics proved to be an asset to the college curriculum.

In 1971, Br. Benedict was appointed Executive Officer of De La Salle University and in 1972, was named the first Director of the De La Salle's Computer Center, a position which he held until 1978. He was also elected as the Data Processing Management Association of the Philippines' Executive Vice-President in 1976.

In 1978, after his stint as the director of the De La Salle Computer Center, he was appointed Vice-President for Development and Alumni Affairs after Br. Connon died; a position he held until 2002, when he was named Vice-President for Development and Alumni Affairs Emeritus.

Retirement from Teaching

Among the De La Salle Brothers who were assigned to De La Salle University-Manila, Br. Benedict had the longest teaching and administrative career, as well as the Brother with the longest history of association with the University's computer center.

He retired from teaching during the late 1990s and was appointed Executive Director of the De La Salle Alumni Association for life. For his service to the De La Salle Brothers, the University, and the Alumni Association, Br. Benedict was honored with the Br. J. Benedict Lidinsky FSC Program Endowment for Development and Alumni Affairs in April 2000. He died on January 3, 2004.

References

See also

* De La Salle University-Manila
* List of people from De La Salle University-Manila