Juvenate
Juvenate was the name given to the minor seminary of the Redemptorist congregation. The Juvenate of the Redemptorist Vice Province of Manila received the first students in June 3, 1961. The students were called Juvenists. The first group of Juvenists numbered 16. Since the Redemptorist congregation did not have a seminary building yet, the Juvenists had to go for their studies to the Archdiocese of Manila’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary (OLGMS) in Makati. They, however, lived at the monastery adjacent to the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, Parañaque, Rizal. More students came the following school year 1962-1963 during which a seminary was being built on a hill in Antipolo. The Juvenists of the previous year continued their classical secondary schooling at the archdiocesan minor seminary, while the newcomers had their special classes in Latin and English in Baclaran. All Juvenists, however, lived together in the monastery.
The following school year 1963-1964, the Juvenists moved to the newly built seminary in Antipolo where they would all continue their studies together with the new batch of incoming students. The seminary was officially called Our Mother of Perpetual Help Juvenate (OMPHJ).
The Juvenate would exist for more than a decade. It had the last students in the school year 1973-1974. Although the Juvenate closed, the building would remain in the possession of the Redemptorist congregation until it was sold in the 1990s. The building would, however, serve as a beacon that would attract any former Juvenist who happened to be in the vicinity for whatever reason until its fateful demolition with the advent of the 21st century.
The former students dispersed in the different parts of the world. Some found it possible to communicate in the early years of the Internet. In 1997, a number joined the alumni.net and the exchange of information would continue sporadically. A web site was also set up.
The beginning of the veritable virtual reunion was made possible in May 2004 with the setting up of the OMPHJ electronic group by a number of former Juvenists. Unaware of the existence of this group, a Manila Times columnist, a former Juvenist and now a diocesan priest in Batangas, Nonie Dolór, published the article ‘Where have all the ‘ex-Reds’ gone?‘ on May 29, 2004. The article became the catalyst that led to the increase of membership in the electronic group. On another part of the world, not knowing the the existence of the e-group, other former students set up another e-group in November 22, 2004. It was inevitable that the ex-Juvenists would learn the existence of the two distinct groups resulting in massive exchange of information with more ex-Juvenists getting involved. The two groups would be later joined into one unified group called the ex-Juvenate.
The web page was also revived in December 2004 and now enjoys a renaissance and a more meaningful existence. In the meantime, there has been a move to unify the two electronic groups.
The nostalgic former students are now assured of the continuing existence, now a virtual one, of the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Juvenate.