Rector and Parish Priest of the Dambana ng Kagalingan and Parish of San Roque, Lamao, Limay, Bataan
From his childhood dream of working at the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility to his years of service as an altar server and diocesan priest, Rev. Fr. Jefferson “Fr. Jeff” Alarcon Paule followed a vocation shaped by faith, discernment, and perseverance. Ordained in 2011, he continues to serve the Diocese of Balanga as Rector and Parish Priest of the Dambana ng Kagalingan and Parish of San Roque in Lamao, Limay, Bataan.
Early Life and Orion Roots
Rev. Fr. Jefferson Alarcon Paule was born as the second child of Victor Paule and Corazon Alarcon. Raised in Orion, Bataan, he grew up at a time when many young people in the community dreamed of finding work at the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility.
Jefferson shared that childhood ambition. He imagined building a stable career through skilled work at the naval facility, unaware that God was gradually preparing him for a very different mission.
The first signs of that calling appeared through his involvement in the Parish of Saint Michael the Archangel. As he spent more time within the church, the altar became more than a place where he performed his duties—it became the setting in which his vocation began to take shape.
Serving at the Altar
As a young man, Jefferson served as sacristan mayor, or head altar server. This responsibility brought him close to the liturgical and pastoral life of the parish.
He assisted during the celebration of the Eucharist, helped guide younger altar servers, and witnessed the daily ministry of priests. Through these experiences, he began to understand the priesthood not simply as a title but as a life of prayer, sacrifice, leadership, and service.
The childhood dream of working at the naval facility gradually gave way to a deeper desire: to dedicate his life to God and His people.
Entering the Seminary
Despite his mother’s initial reservations, Jefferson entered Mother of Good Counsel Seminary in San Fernando, Pampanga, and began formally discerning his vocation.
His decision required courage from both him and his family. Like many parents, his mother understood that the priesthood would ask her son to give his life to the Church and accept responsibilities that could bring him far from home.
Within the seminary, Jefferson devoted himself to prayer, study, discipline, and community life. His formation allowed him to examine his calling more deeply and understand the responsibilities that accompanied the life of a priest.
A Time of Deeper Discernment
Fr. Jeff’s journey was not without difficulty. At one point, he temporarily left seminary formation to understand himself more fully and discern God’s plan with greater clarity.
This period away from the seminary did not bring his vocation to an end. Instead, it became an important part of his journey—a time for reflection, growth, and honest discernment.
The call to priesthood remained. With greater maturity and a renewed sense of purpose, Jefferson eventually returned to formation and continued his theological studies at Immaculate Conception Major Seminary in Guiguinto, Bulacan.
His return demonstrated that discernment is not always a straight and effortless path. Sometimes, a person must pause, listen more carefully, and allow God to reveal the next step in His own time.
Ordination to the Priesthood
On May 28, 2011, Jefferson Alarcon Paule received the Sacrament of Holy Orders and became a priest of the Diocese of Balanga.
Heavy rain fell on the day of his ordination. Those who witnessed the celebration remembered it as a symbol of God’s abundant grace poured upon the new priest, his family, and the community that had accompanied him throughout his vocational journey.
For his mother, seeing her son ordained brought a deep sense of peace and acceptance. The vocation she had once struggled to embrace had reached its fulfillment at the altar.
The altar server who had faithfully assisted priests during his youth was now Rev. Fr. Jefferson Alarcon Paule, entrusted with celebrating the Eucharist, administering the sacraments, proclaiming the Gospel, and shepherding God’s people.
A Life of Pastoral Service
Following his ordination, Fr. Jeff began serving in various pastoral assignments throughout the Diocese of Balanga.
In every community entrusted to him, he celebrated the sacraments, proclaimed the Word of God, and accompanied individuals and families through moments of joy, sorrow, uncertainty, and hope.
His pastoral ministry has been shaped by humility, perseverance, and a servant’s heart. The lessons he first learned as an altar server—faithfulness, attentiveness, discipline, and respect for the sacred—continued to guide him as a priest.
Through each parish assignment, he gained new experiences in parish leadership and pastoral care while helping communities deepen their relationship with Christ.
Fifteen Years of Priestly Ministry
On May 28, 2026, Fr. Jeff celebrated the 15th anniversary of his priestly ordination. The occasion marked a decade and a half of service to the Diocese of Balanga and the communities placed under his pastoral care.
Now in his 16th year of priestly ministry, he continues the vocation that first began to grow while he served at the altar in Orion.
His anniversary was not merely a celebration of the number of years he had served. It was also an opportunity to give thanks for the people he had accompanied, the communities that had welcomed him, and the grace that sustained him through every stage of his journey.
Present Ministry in Lamao
Fr. Jeff currently serves as Rector and Parish Priest of the Dambana ng Kagalingan and Parish of San Roque in Lamao, Limay, Bataan. Parish publications in 2026 continue to identify him in this ministry.
This is his fourth parish assignment since his ordination. As rector and parish priest, he is responsible for the spiritual and pastoral care of the community, the celebration of the sacraments, parish administration, and the continuing development of the shrine’s healing ministry.
His present assignment reflects the journey he began many years ago as an altar server. He now stands at the altar not only to assist but to preside over the Eucharistic celebration and guide the faithful entrusted to his care.
A Vocation Shaped by Trust
Fr. Jeff’s journey reminds us that God’s call often unfolds gradually. It may begin in a childhood dream, an ordinary parish responsibility, a moment of uncertainty, or a quiet desire that refuses to disappear.
His temporary departure from the seminary did not mean that his vocation had failed. Instead, it allowed him to discern more deeply and return with a clearer understanding of the life to which God was calling him.
From his childhood in Orion to his years of seminary formation and pastoral ministry, Fr. Jeff’s life demonstrates the importance of patience, perseverance, and trust in God’s timing.
The young man who once dreamed of working at a naval facility eventually accepted the responsibility of helping build something greater—a community of faith founded upon Christ.
Through humility, perseverance, and a servant’s heart, Rev. Fr. Jefferson “Fr. Jeff” Alarcon Paule continues to be a living witness to God’s faithfulness and to the grace that comes from answering His call.
Key Milestones
