Rev. Mr. Carlos L. Melocoton, Jr.
I was born 35 years ago in Manila, Philippines
as the eldest of five siblings. Education played a vital part of my life while I was growing up, and my parents endured hardships just
to send me to a Catholic school run by the Sisters of the
Religious of the Assumption. I did not push through with my priestly vocation
right after high school, but rather earned an Accounting degree in college, and worked as an accountant for six years.
Through the Assumption
Sisters, I was connected with the
Augustinians of the Assumption, their male counterpart. In Massachusetts,
I started my religious formation with the Assumptionists, whose way of life was inspired by the
Rule of St. Augustine. I enriched myself with every mission experienced with my Assumption family.
I finished three years as a religious brother on temporary vows while doing my three years of Theology. Serving my neighbors
and the Church encouraged me to give myself freely as a seminarian for the
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. I find service as
a means of responding to Jesus’ dual commandment of love, “To love God is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
I finished a year of Pastoral work with Fr. Joseph Hayden, S.J. along with the people of Benwood and McMechen. While in the suburbs of
Wheeling, I invested my time in knowing people through volunteer work at the Catholic Neighborhood Center,
Bishop Donahue High School,
and with the Filipino-American Medical Association where we had our first Filipino Dinner to benefit the Sts. James and John School
in Benwood. Last summer I also worked at my pastoral assignment at
St. Brendan in Elkins,
St. Patrick in Coalton, and at the Tygart
Summer Camp, sponsored by our diocese. I enjoyed my time with our little brothers and sisters along with the many volunteers who run
the camp every year.
Then, on December 14, 2008,
Bishop Michael Bransfield ordained me as
a transitional deacon for our
Diocese of
Wheeling-Charleston. It was a great sign of community, friendships, and thanksgiving for the many blessings that God is
giving me. It was also an occasion to be with relatives and friends. I was thankful for
Bishop Bernard Schmitt who prepared
me during my retreat and was at my deaconate ordination along with
many of our priests and deacons.
I finished my last year of Master of Divinity program at
St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts. My program
included a weekend parish assignment, serving as a deacon at
St. Mary’s of the Annunciation in Cambridge.
Seán Patrick Cardinal O'Malley, OFM Cap,
the Archbishop of the Boston,
granted me faculties to serve the parish, which is in between Harvard University
and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. My assignment involved dealing
with people of diverse cultural backgrounds in an environment of many
ideological divergences. However, Christ’s message of love and unity were present
among the people of the parish, especially the community of priests and deacons
living in the rectory.
I was ordained a priest by Bishop Bransfield on June 27, 2009.