​"Hi Kuya Jeff! Happy Easter po! Napapansin ko lang—ang daming news at posts online na si Cardinal [name omitted] daw ang gustong pumalit kay Pope Francis. Curious lang ako… may chance ba talaga na siya yung maging next pope? Salamat po!” – Expectant Juana

"Dear Kuya Jeff, I hope you’re doing well! I am one of the regular students in your free Catholic Bible Study every Friday on Zoom. I really enjoy learning and following the study. I have some questions about the story of Jesus coming into Jerusalem. I noticed that the different Gospel writers said different things. For example, Mark said that Jesus rode a donkey, but Matthew said Jesus rode a donkey accompanied by its mother. In Luke, the people shouted "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," while in the other Gospels, they shouted "Hosanna." Lastly, only John mentioned that people were holding palm branches, but we call it "Palm Sunday," which comes from John's story. I’m a little confused—are they all saying different things? Aren’t they supposed to tell the same story? I hope you can help me understand this before Palm Sunday on April 13. Thank you for teaching us, and I hope you have a peaceful Holy Week." - Curious Carlo

Looking back on our days as the Class of 1999 from Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary fills my heart with deep nostalgia. We started our journey in 1995 as 19 young seminarians — eating together in the refectory, sharing laughter over simple meals; praying side by side in the chapel, our voices rising as one in hymns and petitions; studying late into the night, sometimes battling drowsiness but always pushing each other to stay focused; and ending each day with quiet moments of reflection, entrusting everything to Jesus, the High Priest, and Mary, our loving Mother. Those routines — so ordinary yet so meaningful — wove us into a brotherhood that time and distance could never break. Though some of our brothers moved on before graduation, 16 of us completed the journey, and Sheldon answered God’s call as a Carmelite priest-friar. The rest of us pursued careers and built families, yet the bond we forged in those formative years remained. Now, 25 years later, we have once again been called by our alma mater — this time to serve, a fitting way to express our gratitude for the blessings we've received since we left her hallowed halls.

​October 25, 2024

Dear brothers and sisters, today we gather to celebrate your ninth anniversary. Traditionally, the ninth year is recognized as the Pottery Jubilee. Just as a potter skillfully shapes raw clay, strengthening it through fire to form a durable vessel, so too has the journey of Theotokos Singers unfolded. Pottery creates containers meant to hold good things, like nourishment and refreshment. With this in mind, let us gratefully reflect on the abundant blessings God, the Master Potter, has poured out on the Theotokos Singers over these nine fruitful years, drawing inspiration from Mary’s example in Sacred Scripture and the personal testimonies of your members.​

"Dear Kuya Jeff, I've been meaning to ask what I should do if the Host accidentally falls to the floor while I'm receiving Communion. Should I pick it up myself, or should I let the priest handle it? I try to live a Eucharistic life by going to confession monthly, receiving Communion weekly, and visiting the Blessed Sacrament regularly. Knowing how to handle situations like this would help me show my respect for Jesus in the Eucharist, so I'd really appreciate your advice. Thanks a lot, and God bless you and your family!" - August M. ​

​A minor seminary is a secondary boarding school specifically established to admit teenage boys who have expressed an interest in pursuing the priesthood. The 1983 Code of Canon Law beautifully expresses the objectives of a minor seminary, stating that it is designed "to protect from the contagion of the world, to train in piety, to imbue with the rudiments of literary studies, and to foster in them the seed of a divine vocation" (Canon 794 §1). Moreover, the Code acknowledges the importance of the minor seminary in the preliminary stages of priestly formation, mandating its establishment and preservation, stipulating that it should offer a comprehensive program of both human and spiritual education (Canon 238 §1). Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary is the Manila Archdiocesan junior and senior high school seminary where the author finished his classical secondary education. The author has been tapped by the seminarians to retell the school's story more times than he can count. It finally dawned on him that this might be because the history of his alma mater is a bit fragmented, like a puzzle with some pieces missing and others that don't quite fit together. This write-up aims to sketch out the history of the minor seminary using published sources and reliable recollections from fellow grateful alumni. It's not a complete history, but it should provide a good starting point for anyone looking to dive deeper into the story of our beloved alma mater.

​"Dear Kuya Jeff, I remember joining your advent pilgrimage in Laguna a couple of years ago. I'm curious about your pilgrimage plans for this upcoming advent, especially with the Pilgrims of Hope jubilee. As a Marian devotee, I've been wanting to visit Our Lady of Lourdes Church in France, but I don't have the budget for Europe. I heard there's a replica of the Lourdes Shrine in Bulacan. Is the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto Church in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, a Catholic church? I'd appreciate your thoughts on this and I'm looking forward to journeying with you on another pilgrimage." - Mario Peregrino