«My name is Carlo Emmanuel Dy. I am 27 years old and a seminarian from the Philippines, belonging to the clergy of the Diocese of Cavite. I was born in Makati City, in the Manila metropolitan area, and I am the oldest of three siblings in a modest household; my father works abroad as a maintenance officer on cruise ships, while my mother is a homemaker.

My involvement with the Church began in childhood, when I served as an altar boy and regularly assisted the parish priest during liturgical celebrations, which awakened in me a love for the sacramental life. I formally entered the seminary in 2016, and after completing a rigorous formation program, I graduated last year with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, specializing in Classical Philosophy, from the Seminary of San Carlos. Since my home diocese does not have its own center for philosophical studies, I commuted two hours each day to attend classes.

I am currently in my seventh year of discernment, having entered the formative stage of configuration. With the aim of realizing our bishop’s vision of founding a diocesan college in the future, the first two seminarians in the history of our diocese were sent to Spain. I am pursuing my studies in Sacred Theology at the University of Navarra and reside at the Bidasoa International Ecclesiastical College. I am deeply grateful to the CARF Foundation and its generous benefactors for covering my academic and personal needs, and I give thanks to them daily through my constant prayers.».