The Clergy of our Parish
IN 2020, the Church, in its instruction, The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church, states that:
The Parish Priest and the other priests, in communion with the Bishop, serve as a fundamental reference point for the Parish community, embodying the role of shepherds that corresponds to them. The Parish Priest and the presbyterate, who together foster a common life and priestly fraternity, celebrate the sacramental life for and with the community and are called to organise the parish in such a way as to be an effective sign of communion (no. 62).
Therefore, " The office of Parish Priest, sometimes referred to as Pastor, involves the full care of souls. In order, therefore, for a member of the faithful to be validly appointed Parish Priest (parochus), he must have received the Order of Presbyter, thus excluding the possibility of conferring this office on one who lacks this Order and its related functions, even where priests are scarce" (no. 66).
On the other hand, the deacons who are ordained ministers, incardinated in a Diocese, "are collaborators of the Bishop and the priests in a singular mission of evangelisation and with the specific task, by virtue of the Sacrament received, to 'serve the People of God in the ministries of the liturgy, the word and charity'.”
There have been many priests associated with Melton. They were:
- Rev Fr. William Shinnick
- Rev. Fr. Eugene O’Connell
- Rev Fr. Timothy O’Callaghan
- Rev Fr. William O’Brien
- Rev Fr. James MacGillicuddy
- Rev Fr. Andrew Ryan
- Rev Fr. Daniel Horan
- Rev Fr. M. Ryan
- Rev Fr. P. Gleeson
- Rev Fr. J. Ellis
- Rev Fr. L. Hartnett
- Rev Fr. G. Gavan Duffy
- Rev Fr. H. Steele
1972 Rev Fr. William Donegan, who was serving as a curate at Bacchus Marsh, was appointed to be the first Parish Priest of the Parish of Melton. Fr Donegan was educated at De La Salle, Malvern, Melbourne University and All Hallows College, Dublin (Fr. Horan, the last of the pioneering Priests, also attended the Seminary at All Hallows).
Currently, there are four clergy appointed to the Catholic Parish of Melton. Rev. Fr Michael Moody, our previous parish priest, was appointed in 2002, taking over from Fr Bill Donegan. He was a driving force in getting the St Catherine of Siena Church built in August 2023 and recently retired in October 2024 after 23 years of service. In January 2021, the Archbishop appointed Rev Deacon Chris Creo as the parish's first parish deacon.
Upon Fr Michael's retirement, Frs Alex Clemente and Wilford Urmaza of the Congregation of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus (RCJ) were appointed Melton's parish priest and assistant parish priest, respectively, on October 28 2024. In December 2025, the parish welcomed its fourth member of the clergy with the appointment of Fr Jeffrey Salvador, RCJ, as assistant parish priest.
The following are the profiles of our Parish Clergy:
Rev Fr Alex Clemente, RCJ
Parish Priest
FATHER ALEX was born on 9 May 1977 in central Luzon, Philippines, the youngest of three brothers. In 1994, he began his seminary formation with the Rogationist Fathers. He completed a Bachelor of Theology at the Don Bosco Center of Studies in Manila in 2005 and was ordained to the priesthood in June 2007 at the age of 29.
The first fifteen years of Fr Alex’s priestly ministry were spent at the Rogationist Philosophy Seminary College in Manila, where he served as an administrator and member of the Formation Council. Alongside these responsibilities, he was part of the faculty, which led him to undertake a master’s degree in Philosophy at De La Salle University–Manila.
While nearing the completion of his doctoral studies in Philosophical Research, Fr Alex was entrusted in 2019 with a new pastoral responsibility as Director of the Rogate Center. The centre includes the Rogationist Provincial Government, the Rogationist Postulancy Program, and the Rogationist Mission House.
In late 2021, Fr Alex was invited to join the growing Rogationist community in Australia, serving parishes across Victoria. He arrived in the Archdiocese of Melbourne on 9 January 2022 and began ministry as an assistant priest at the Braybrook and Maidstone Parish. On 3 May 2023, he was appointed parish priest of Melton South and Bacchus Marsh. Subsequently, on 28 October 2024, the Rogationists were entrusted with the care of Melton Parish, with Fr Alex serving as parish priest.
Rev Fr Wilford Urmaza, RCJ
Assistant Parish Priest
FATHER WILFORD is a member of the Congregation of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus. He was born on 25 June 1986 in Quezon City, Philippines, the fourth of five children of Wilfredo and Elvira Urmaza. He was baptised the year after his birth at Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro in Manila and received the Sacrament of Confirmation ten years later at the Parish of San Telmo, Aparri, Cagayan.
Fr Wilford discerned a vocation to the priesthood at a young age and joined the Rogationists in Merville, Parañaque, in 2003. From 2003 to 2007, he completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy. He undertook his novitiate year from 2007 to 2008 at the Rogationist Novitiate in Silang, Cavite, and made his First Religious Profession on 31 May 2008, the Feast of the Visitation. After a year of pastoral work at St Anthony’s Boys Village, he was assigned to the Rogationist Seminary–Manila, where he assisted in the formation of seminarians.
From 2011 to 2015, Fr Wilford continued his theological studies at the Don Bosco Center of Studies in Better Living, Parañaque, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Theology. After seven years of temporary profession, he made his perpetual profession on 1 June 2014, the Feast of St Hannibal Maria Di Francia. He was ordained to the diaconate on 4 November 2014 by Most Rev. Jesse Mercado, DD, Bishop of Parañaque.
Fr Wilford was ordained to the priesthood on 24 October 2015 by Most Rev. William Antonio David DD. He was then assigned to the Rogationist Seminary–Manila, where he served as Vocation Director, and later as Prefect of Discipline and Vice-Rector. During this time, he taught theology and worked as a formator in priestly formation before offering himself for missionary service.
At the invitation of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Fr Wilford arrived in Australia on 19 December 2021. He spent one year in pastoral ministry at Holy Family Parish, Maidstone. On 3 May 2023, he was appointed Assistant Priest at St Anthony of Padua and St Bernard parishes. Since 28 October 2024, he has served as Assistant Parish Priest of Melton, alongside Fr Alex.
Rev Fr Jeffrey Salvador, RCJ
Assistant Parish Priest
FATHER JEFFREY is a priest of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus. He was born on 27 August 1993 in Cebu, Philippines. After completing his secondary education, he entered the Rogationist Seminary in 2010, beginning a long journey of religious and priestly formation.
As part of his formation, Fr Jeffrey undertook practical training in Cebu and Cavite, where he served as a collaborator to the Prefect and as a co-formator of young men discerning a vocation to the priesthood. He later pursued his theological studies at the Don Bosco School of Theology, an affiliate of the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome.
After twelve years of comprehensive formation, Fr Jeffrey was ordained to the priesthood on 22 October 2022. His first appointment was as Vocation Director at the Rogationist Seminary in Cebu. He subsequently served as Prefect of Discipline at the same seminary, playing a significant role in the human and spiritual formation of seminarians.
Fr Jeffrey is soon to be appointed assistant parish priest of the partnered Catholic parishes of Melton and Melton South. In this role, he will continue his priestly ministry in service to the Church in Australia and the mission of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus.
Rev Dcn Chris Creo
Parish Deacon
DEACON CHRIS migrated to Australia from the Philippines with his young family in 2004. In his early years here, he worked in manufacturing—first in an abrasive products factory as an assistant leading hand for seven years, and later in a pasta-making factory for eight months. He was also an active member of the Filipino choral group Pangkat Pinoy.
When the permanent diaconate was restored in the Archdiocese of Melbourne in April 2007, Deacon Chris joined the first group of inquirers and began his path of formation. He commenced formal theological studies in 2009 at the Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, in Melbourne.
He was ordained a deacon for the Archdiocese of Melbourne on 15 November 2014 by Archbishop Denis Hart. Following his ordination, he was appointed to the Catholic Parish of Caroline Springs, where he served for six years and worked as a Pastoral Associate for three of those years. In 2021, he was appointed Parish Deacon of Melton.
Deacon Chris holds a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) from the University of the Philippines and worked as a journalist and editor for a decade before migrating to Australia. In 2015, he completed a Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) at Australian Catholic University. In March 2025, he earned his master's degree in Theology and Education from the University of Divinity. He is currently a full-time teacher at Catholic Regional College-Caroline Springs, teaching Religious Education.
He is married to Asther, and together they have three children—Sanyata, Sanghaya, and Elessar—who are all involved in various liturgical ministries within the parish.
Visit Dcn Chris' Blog: A Deacon's Path: Towards a Ministry on the Edges.