A late vocation, Fr. Reyes Medina (later combined as one name) became the only priest of Mexican heritage to serve the Archdiocese of Detroit when he was ordained by Cardinal Edmund Szoka at Most Holy Trinity Church on Dec. 13, 1987.
As chaplain to the Cloistered Dominican monastery for nine years until failing health caused his retirement about a year ago, Fr. Reyesmedina “made the liturgy very much alive,” Sr. Mary Martin said.
“We had many beautiful processions and litanies, and he taught us many beautiful things, such as songs in Spanish to the Blessed Mother,” she said.
Fr. Reyesmedina had a great devotion to Mary and to the Eucharist, and brought both exuberance and reverence to liturgical celebrations, sister continued.
At other times, Fr. Reyesmedina would entertain the sisters and monastery guests with his renditions of classical pieces on the piano, Sr. Mary Martin added.
Fr. Reyesmedina died Feb. 24 at Henry Ford Hospital, Clinton Township. He was 87.
At Most Holy Trinity Parish in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, where he served as both a layman before ordination and then later returned as a senior priest, Fr. Reyesmedina “really brought the Spanish-language liturgy forward,” said Fr. Russell Kohler, the parish’s pastor since 1991.
“He trained musicians and formed the Hispanic choir here,” Fr. Kohler said.
Carlos Reyes Medina was born Aug. 11, 1924, in Tacuba, Mexico, to Jose M. and Aurora(Medina) Reyes. He attended elementary and high school in Mexico City. He went on to study at the Escuela Superior de Musica Sacra and then the Instituto Teologica Cristo Rey, both in Mexico City, and eventually St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
Fr. Reyesmedina’s family had moved to Detroit at the urging of Most Holy Trinity’s famous pastor, Msgr. Clement J. Kern.
While still a layman, Fr. Reyesmedina applied for the position of organist at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Temperance, but its pastor, Fr. Alfred Miller, suggested he really wanted to be a priest.
That elicited a positive response from him, and he began studying for the priesthood.
After ordination, Fr. Reyesmedina’s assignments included serving as associate pastor at Sacred Heart Parish, Imlay City, and at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Pontiac.
After being granted senior priest status in 1994, he served at St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Melvindale; Most Holy Trinity Parish,Detroit, and as chaplain to Mount Thabor Monastery.
Fr. Reyesmedina was predeceased by his parents, Aurora Medina and Jose Marie Reyes Mendoza. He is survived by two brothers, Fernando Jose Reyes and Roberto Reyesmedina; and three sisters, Maria Esther Reyes, Maria Aurora Reyes Medina and Teresita Galea; as well as by 11 half-brothers and half-sisters; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Feb. 27 by Archbishop Allen Vigneron at Mount Thabor Monastery. Burial was in the monastery’s Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to Fernando Reyes,13909 Deepwood Court, Sterling Heights 48312.
