Father Thomas Melancon, SJ, spent the years of his active ministry as an educator and in pastoral ministry. He now resides at St. Ignatius Hall in Florissant, Missouri, where he ministers to senior Jesuits and prays for the Society and the Church. Â He celebrated 60 years as a Jesuit in 2021 and this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
For almost two decades, Fr. Melancon taught French, Latin and religion at both Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri, and his alma mater, St. Louis University High School. He also directed the province’s pre-novice program from 1975 to 1980.
After moving to pastoral ministry in 1988, Fr. Melancon served at parishes in Colorado and St. Louis, including St. Joseph Church in Pueblo, Colorado, Holy Family Parish in Security, Colorado, Corpus Christi Parish in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Most Holy Trinity Parish in Trinidad, Colorado, and St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis. He was minister or assistant rector at the Jesuit theologate in Boston. He served as director of the Jesuits’ senior care facility in St. Louis from 2007 to 2014, and continued as a pastoral minister to the Jesuit Hall Community through their move to St. Ignatius Hall in 2023.
Father Melancon was born in St. Louis in 1942. He attended the St. Louis College of Pharmacy for a year before discerning a call to the Society of Jesus and entered at St. Stanislaus Seminary in 1961. Father Melancon completed his studies during formation at Saint Louis University and later also earned a master’s of social work from SLU. He is most grateful for God’s mercy in calling and choosing him to become a Jesuit and also a priest. He is also grateful for his call to pray for the Church and the Society in his retirement, and continues to be available for pastoral ministry when needed as his health permits.
Fr. Thomas Melancon’s Reflection on 60 Years as a Jesuit (2021):
My favorite Scripture verses come from the Second Readings of the Night and Morning Masses of Christmas Day, Titus 3:4-5: ” When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deed we had done but, because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” And this, Titus 2:11-12: “For the grace of God has appeared, saving all, and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and to live justly and devoutly in this age.”
The Society has called me as minister to our theology students at Weston School of Theology to provide a comfortable home for them as they did their studies, and as director, to provide the same for our elderly and sick men at the Fusz Pavilion. I am grateful that Our Lord called me to serve Him in his ministry of faithful and loving kindness. These were my two favorite ministries, and I believe that they have informed all of my other work.
