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Name: Father Carlos Melocoton
Age: 37
Hometown: Hamtic, Antique, The Philippines
Present Parish: Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Charleston, W.Va.

Interests: Travels, Movies, Music, Foods, Books, Sports (Basketball, Volleyball, outdoors except involving snow)

What drew me into priesthood: The love of God I found in my life

 

Favorite Movies: “A Beautiful Mind,” “Forest Gump,” “Silence of the Lambs”
Favorite Books: “The Confession” and anything with St. Augustine, Jane Austine, Thomas Merton, Lives of the Saints etc.
Favorite Quote: "O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!
You were with me, but I was not with you. You called, shouted, broke through my deafness; you flared, blazed, banished my blindness...I gasped, and now I pant for you; I tasted you, and I hunger and thirst; you touched me, and I burned for your peace.”
-- The Confessions by St. Augustine

I responded the call of priesthood after discovering God’s love for me. I marveled at His love that in thanksgiving to the many blessings I received, I was able to say YES to the call of pastoral ministry and share the charity God enriched my heart and mind for my brothers and sisters.

When Mother Teresa described her journey as “A call within a call,” while reading her biography on my canonical preparation for deaconate ordination on a peaceful night at Paul IV Pastoral Center, I could not control my emotions as I recall and ponder my personal journey coming from the Philippines to the United States, then from my religious community to serve the people of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. God indeed plans things for us all; thus, we need to listen and obey where he wants us to be. It was so peaceful and wonderful as soon as I commit myself to surrender to God’s love and respond to that love.

In thanksgiving for the education and enlightenment I received from the sisters of the Religious of the Assumption during the Martial Law era; how God helped and guided me where to get some means personally to finish my college education; the experience on how to be a mediator between the costumers and the company while working as an accountant; assisting me how to help my family alleviate the social disease of poverty; and when things all prepared for me to answer the call of priesthood—God was there to show me the way.

God led me to be formed by the Augustinians of the Assumption, who shared the same spirituality with the sisters who mentored me while growing up. Both St. Marie Eugenie and Venerable Emmanuel D’ Alzon, founders of the Assumption sisters and brothers respectively believed that through education in the light of the truth of the Gospel, one can make a change to promote human dignity and freedom. Therefore, I was thankful and blessed that Bishop Michael J. Bransfield assigned me to the Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart where we have the Sacred Heart Grade School; I served as chaplain for Charleston Catholic High School, and the Chaplaincy at the University of Charleston.

God indeed plans things for us and we should be open to surrender to His love.