Bishop Edward Malesic has written his first pastoral letter as the Bishop of Cleveland. A Flourishing Apostolic Church encourages the faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland to pray, celebrate the sacraments and serve those in need. Enjoy a short introductory video below and then download his letter, in English or Spanish, along with questions to further your own personal reflection as well as discussions with small groups.
To read the video script in Spanish, please click here.
My Dearest Brothers and Sisters of the Diocese of Cleveland,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I am writing you today my first pastoral letter, and I thank you for taking the time to read it. It has been over four years since I was appointed by Pope Francis to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland, and the time is right for me to share with you where I think the Holy Spirit is calling us as a diocese, a local Church. The goal of this letter is to provide you with a resource for reflection, that you might be drawn more deeply into prayer and a more intimate relationship with Jesus. This letter is composed of four sections, and they build on each other, like St. Paul’s letters. The first three sections remind us of who we are and whose we are, and the final section articulates specific strategies to boldly follow the call of the Holy Spirit as sons and daughters of the Father.
Download A Flourishing Apostolic Church: ENGLISH | SPANISH
After reading Bishop Malesic's letter, consider using the reflection questions available for download below. Questions are separated for small groups, individuals and for deeper reflections.
It may not sound like much, but carving out fifteen minutes during which one puts aside everything else and dedicates that time to one’s relationship with God can be life changing.
The more time we spend with Jesus, particularly in the celebration of Eucharist and Reconciliation, the more we begin to look like him, which means that when people see us, they also see Jesus. This is the point of the sacramental life: to become who and what we receive.
We all need a small circle of friends with whom we can share our faith, in order to grow in our faith. This sort of thing should be happening within families, which are the original and most natural of small groups. Families are called “the Church at home.” Make sure Jesus is at the center of your family life.
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