By Joanna Puddister King
GRENADA – Parishioners, clergy, family and friends filled St. Peter Catholic Church on Aug. 18 to celebrate the funeral Mass of Father Sam Messina, a priest of the Diocese of Jackson for more than 60 years. Father Messina, who died Aug. 30 just days away from turning age 87, was remembered as a devoted pastor, a joyful friend and a man of deep prayer whose ministry touched communities across Mississippi.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at his home parish, where he offered his first Mass in 1965. Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz presided, with dozens of priests and deacons concelebrating. Music included hymns dear to Father Sam, such as Amazing Grace and On Eagle’s Wings.
In his homily, Father Jeffrey Waldrep described Father Messina’s life as “long and large in virtue and in merit, a life long and selfless love.” He drew from the day’s readings to remind mourners that “death is not the end … it’s a mere passage to glory.”
Father Waldrep recalled Messina’s dedication to daily prayer, particularly the Liturgy of the Hours and the rosary, which he learned from his mother. “Anytime we were in the car going to a mission or parish, he would say, ‘All right, get your rosary out, Jeffrey,’ and we would pray together,” Waldrep said. Though known to be exacting at times, Messina’s joy in priestly ministry was constant. “He never complained about celebrating Mass or taking Communion to the shut-ins. It was never an inconvenience. He loved being a priest and said he would do it all over again.”
Near the close of Mass, Bishop Kopacz reflected on Messina’s decades of service, stretching back to the era of Bishop Richard Gerow. He noted Messina’s leadership in reviving the permanent diaconate program under Bishop Joseph Latino, and his devotion to parish life in Grenada, Batesville and other communities. “You couldn’t have a better heart of the servant priest overseeing Christ the servant in the permanent diaconate,” Kopacz said. He also recalled celebrating Messina’s 50th jubilee in Batesville, where the parish hall Messina helped build became a vibrant center of community.
Family members remembered Father Sam as a steady presence across generations. His niece, Rita Heuel, said she grew up with her uncle’s energy and warmth. “Every summer when we visited Mississippi, he’d show up at my grandparents’ house, loud and boisterous, just happy to see everyone. He had such a big heart,” she said. Hoyle added that even in his later years, “He always said, ‘I love my nieces to pieces,’ and even when he struggled with dementia, he still remembered that. That means a lot to me.”
Dr. Joseph Messina, Father Sam’s first cousin and a physician in Grenada, called him “a vital part of my life for as far as I can remember.” He said, “He was at my baptism, he officiated at my wedding, and he was present at every important family event, whether joyous or sad. He was someone that I admired, that I looked up to, and I will always cherish until my dying breath.” Dr. Messina’s son, Philip, a senior at Kirk Academy, said he will remember his cousin for his kindness and humor. “Every time you saw him, he always had a smile on his face and was cracking jokes. He’d light up every room he went into,” Philip said. “I’m really going to miss him, and he’ll always live in my mind for the rest of my life.”
Ordained in 1965, Father Messina served parishes in Jackson, Starkville, Batesville, Grenada, Greenville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Port Gibson, Anguilla, Sardis and West Point; and additionally in Hattiesburg and Chatawa. He was remembered for his pastoral care, ecumenical friendships and simple pleasures such as fishing and bird-watching. Even in retirement and during years of illness, he remained faithful to prayer and to the people he served.
As the final commendation was prayed, Bishop Kopacz entrusted his brother priest to God’s mercy. “Into your hands, Father of mercies, we commend our brother Father Sam in the sure and certain hope that he will rise with Christ on the last day,” he prayed. Burial followed in the parish cemetery, with family inviting clergy and mourners to a reception afterward.
“Father Sam lived not just a faithful life, but a faith-filled life,” Father Waldrep said. “We pray that he now receives his eternal reward.”
