A priest with a wide and varied curriculum vitae, Father Michael B. Medas added another paragraph to his resume when he began his new duties as director of the Office for Clergy Personnel on June 1.

A member of the Class of 1988 and an alumnus of both St. John’s College Seminary and St. John’s Seminary Theologate, Father Medas was ordained by Cardinal Law at Holy Cross Cathedral on June 25, 1988. His first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish, Watertown, and next was as parochial vicar at St. Theresa of Lisieux Parish in Billerica.

In the fall of 1994 he was sent to pursue a graduate degree at Gallaudet University in the nation’s capital; the school is unique as it prepares those with impaired or no hearing for careers in many fields. It also prepares those who will be working with the hearing impaired in sign language and other fields. On his return to the archdiocese he was named director of the Apostolate for the Deaf on July 1, 1996. He lived in residence at a number of parishes, first at Our Lady Help of Christians, Newton and then at St. Mary, Ayer and also at Holy Family Parish, Concord.

With the move of the “home” of the Deaf Apostolate to regular worship at Sacred Heart Church, Newton, Father Medas became part time parochial vicar at the Newton Centre parish and remained part time as director of the Apostolate to the Deaf.

In early 2001 he was granted permission to serve in the Reserves of the United States Air Force; his endorsement or “permission to serve” was changed from Air Force to Air National Guard in 2009. For a year between 2006 and 2007 he was chaplain at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford; in July 2007 he was named to the faculty of St. John’s Seminary as formation director for Pastoral Ministries.

Father Medas’ new assignment will involve his regular contact with the priests of the archdiocese, especially those who are up for new assignments due to “term limits” and needs to be met at parishes or chaplaincies. Recommending names of priests for assignment by Cardinal O’Malley as pastors in archdiocesan parishes, will be another particular responsibility. In this he is assisted by the Archdiocesan Personnel Board, and consults with the regional bishops or vicars before making the recommendations to the cardinal.

Another aspect of his job is to provide data to various offices about the needs of parishes, as well as keeping the clergy of the archdiocese abreast of available positions for which they might apply and also giving annual statistical snapshots of the demographics of the clergy of the archdiocese.

Bringing as he does a wealth of personal, pastoral and priestly experience in parishes, non-parish ministry, in military service, Father Medas will be ready for his new assignment on June 1.