Diocesan Priest of the Diocese of Balanga
A son of Orion, Rev. Fr. Felizardo “Fr. Felix” de Leon Sevilla once dreamed of becoming a nautical engineer and sailing across distant seas. God, however, called him to a greater voyage—the priesthood. Ordained in 1998, he has devoted his life to proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and guiding God’s people through the changing seasons of their lives.
Early Life and Orion Roots
The life of Rev. Fr. Felizardo “Fr. Felix” de Leon Sevilla began in Orion, Bataan, where he was raised by his parents, Alfredo Sevilla and Flordeliza de Leon.
As a young man, Felix dreamed of becoming a nautical engineer. He imagined a future spent aboard ships, navigating open waters and traveling to distant places. Determined to fulfill this ambition, he pursued his studies at Bataan Heroes Memorial College in Balanga.
His education required perseverance. He regularly made the journey from Orion to Balanga to attend his classes. The distance and difficulty of traveling did not discourage him from working toward his goal.
At the time, Felix believed that his future would be found at sea. He did not yet know that God was preparing him for another kind of voyage—one that would lead him not across oceans but into the lives of the people he would one day serve.
Answering God’s Call
The direction of his life eventually changed when he entered Immaculate Conception Seminary in Guiguinto, Bulacan. There, the young man who had once dreamed of navigating ships began discerning a vocation to the sacred priesthood.
Through prayer, study, discipline, and seminary formation, he gradually came to understand that God was calling him to dedicate his life to the Church.
Leaving behind his original ambition was not the end of his journey. Rather, it marked the beginning of a greater one. The perseverance that had carried him between Orion and Balanga now helped sustain him through the demands of priestly formation.
His path was not free from challenges. Yet through faith and prayer, he remained committed to the vocation he had begun to embrace. Instead of becoming a sailor of the seas, he prepared to become what Christ called His first disciples to be—a fisher of people.
Ordination to the Priesthood
On January 3, 1998, Felizardo de Leon Sevilla received the Sacrament of Holy Orders and became a priest of the Diocese of Balanga. His ordination remains commemorated by the diocese on its official page.
His ordination was a joyful occasion for his family, friends, and the people of Orion, who witnessed the fulfillment of his vocational journey.
The young man who once dreamed of steering ships across the sea had answered a higher calling. He was now entrusted with celebrating the Eucharist, administering the sacraments, proclaiming the Word of God, and accompanying the faithful in their journey toward Christ.
A Life of Pastoral Service
Since his ordination, Fr. Felix has served in various ministries and parish communities within the Diocese of Balanga.
Throughout his priestly ministry, he has proclaimed the Gospel, celebrated the sacraments, and offered spiritual guidance to individuals and families. He has accompanied the faithful through moments of joy and thanksgiving, as well as times of grief, difficulty, and uncertainty.
His pastoral service has been shaped by humility, dedication, and a sincere concern for the people entrusted to his care. Through preaching, parish leadership, and personal encounters, he has encouraged parishioners to deepen their relationship with Christ and participate more faithfully in the life of the Church.
Among the communities he has served are the Parish of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino in Mariveles, where records identify him as parish priest from 2011 to 2017, and Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in Pilar.
A Greater Voyage
Although Fr. Felix did not become the nautical engineer he once aspired to be, his life brought him on a far greater voyage.
Instead of steering ships across oceans, he was called to guide people through the changing waters of life. Instead of studying maps that led to distant ports, he proclaimed the Gospel that leads people toward Christ.
The long journeys he once made as a student became an early sign of the perseverance that would characterize his vocation. From the roads between Orion and Balanga to the different communities he later served as a priest, every stage of his journey helped prepare him for the mission entrusted to him.
His life reflects the truth that God’s plans do not always follow the course people initially imagine. Sometimes, a dream is not simply taken away—it is transformed into a greater purpose.
A Continuing Priestly Vocation
Today, Fr. Felix remains a diocesan priest of the Diocese of Balanga. His priestly identity and the service he has offered through the years remain an enduring part of his life and vocation.
His story forms part of Orion’s continuing heritage of priestly vocations. It reminds young people that following God’s call may require the courage to leave behind familiar plans and trust a path that is not yet fully understood.
From a young student dreaming of the open sea to a priest entrusted with guiding God’s people, Fr. Felizardo “Fr. Felix” de Leon Sevilla continues his greater voyage—a life offered in faith and service to Christ and His Church.
Key Milestones
