On Wednesday, June 15, Father Sam Medley, SOLT was installed as director of Our Lady of Corpus Christi at a noon a Mass. Father Jerry Drolshagen, Regional Priest Servant for SOLT, was the main celebrant and homilist. Portions of the Mass, including the homily and Father Medley’s profession of faith, are available on a
live feed recorded through SOLT’s Facebook.
Father Medley is no stranger to the Corpus Christi community, where he served his first priestly assignment as a formator of priestly candidates studying philosophy, and formator of those aspiring to become SOLT brothers. He served as a chaplain for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students as well as at both Incarnate Word Academy and St. John Paul II high schools. He also taught a class at JPII. He was a chaplain/confessor for three convents of religious women, served on Sundays in the confessional for three hours and two Masses at a local Corpus Christi parish, ran a multi-media apostolate, provided spiritual direction, heard confessions, served on retreats, gave talks and taught as an adjunct professor for satellite courses for St Thomas University in Houston.
“During those first 30 months of my priestly ministry there wasn’t anything I didn’t do. It was so much fun but extremely tiring,” Father Medley said.
He recounted the lessons he learned in those first years of priesthood. “I had to learn how to slow down. Hopefully this time around I can learn better to budget my time, have a better work-life balance, and leisurely enjoy God’s good blessings,” he said.
He first recognized the call to the priesthood on a retreat as a college student.
“It was on this retreat that I had a living encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. The great love that I felt from him made me challenge my way of thinking and made me reassess what would really make me happy in life and what life's purpose really was for me," Father Medley said. "It was the first time I made a very good and very deep confession. Also it was the first time that I really came to authentic faith in the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. After this retreat I had the courage to ask God what he wanted of me and the humility to stop telling him what I was asking of him.”
Because of this life-changing encounter, he sees the great importance of retreats in the life of conversion and growth of faith. “For me it was only a living encounter with the person of Jesus Christ that could break through all the confusion and distraction of the world in which I was living, and this has not changed but only intensified for people of today.”
Like Father Dan Estes, his predecessor, Father Medley has learned to adapt to his surroundings quickly. His life of mission began in Belize, Central America, where he served with SOLT as a volunteer. He entered the novitiate the following year and became a member of SOLT in 2002 after making profession of evangelical promises of obedience, poverty and chastity. After studying in Rome at the Angelicum, and taking some classes at three other pontifical colleges, he was sent to finish his training for the priesthood in the Philippines.
“Although I enjoyed learning theology in Rome, the studies I completed in the Philippines helped me apply theology to the life of the poor, the sick and the suffering,” he said.
Bishop Rene Gracida ordained him a priest in Corpus Christi Cathedral on July 17, 2008. After his time in Corpus Christi, he was sent to be the parochial vicar in Hythe, United Kingdom for three years. For the past two years, Father Medley served as a formator of priestly candidates in Naga City, Philippines.
Now he is back in Corpus Christi where the first years of his priesthood instructed him in the importance of renewal. As the Director of Our Lady of Corpus Christi he will oversee the overall operations on campus, including property rental for retreats and assist with SOLT retreats, oversee the bookstore, Cafe Veritas, finances, promotions, a multi-media apostolate, coordinate spiritual directors and professional counseling and the perpetual adoration chapel. OLCC also houses the international SOLT Generalate and Regionalate offices.
“We enjoy our relationship with many of the parishes, the people and priests here as a community of joy and gratitude, ready to serve the local Church in whatever way we can," Father Medley said. "In a particular way, we hope to help people become more active in their local parish community, by helping in whatever way we can to bring them to a deeper love for God and the Church, but one that ultimately bears fruit in their immediate sphere of influence, especially their parish.”