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Why Catholic? Meet Bishop Edward C. Malesic
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Cleveland’s new bishop settles into his job as shepherd of the diocese

News of the Diocese

September 17, 2020

Cleveland’s new bishop settles into his job as shepherd of the diocese
Now that the excitement of his Sept. 14 installation is over, Bishop Edward Malesic is rolling up his sleeves and getting down to business while settling into his new job as the 12th bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, the 23rd-largest diocese in the country.

“With the restrictions placed on us because of COVID-19, it feels as though I have hit the ground but I can’t quite run yet. That’s going to be frustrating for me. But trust me, there will come a time – soon, I hope – when we will be able to gather together again in large crowds to meet each other,” he said in the homily at the installation Mass. “I plan to visit each of our parishes soon as possible. There are 185 of them, so please be patient with me,” he added.

Cleveland’s new bishop settles into his job as shepherd of the diocese
His first major appearance took place on Sept. 16, just two days after his installation, when he sat down – virtually – with WKYC’s Russ Mitchell for a one-on-one TV interview about his thoughts and plans for the diocese. A brief version of the interview aired that evening; the full, 15-minute interview can be viewed below:

The bishop told Mitchell he came to Cleveland from the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania as a stranger, but he hopes to become a brother.

“My first impression is that this is a tremendous city. I already find that there are many people of tremendous faith here,” he said. The bishop told Mitchell he will “lead by listening to as many people as possible.”

He also plans to learn what’s going on in the parishes and the cities of the eight-county diocese, despite restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Bishop Malesic already is meeting – by phone, virtual platforms and sometimes in person – with priests in the diocese to learn firsthand from them about their concerns and needs.

When asked how he thought or hoped he might be labeled, the bishop responded with one word: “faithful.”

He told Mitchell that at the end of the day, the Lord won’t ask him if he was conservative, progressive or anything else. “He wants me to be faithful to the Gospel.”

They chatted about a variety of topics, including immigration issues, in which his predecessor, Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez, was active. The bishop said the faithful can expect him to be “as active as he (Archbishop Perez) was to secure the rights of all people.” It’s important to work for justice, which leads to peace, he said.

“As issues come up, the Church has a voice and that voice needs to be heard,” he added.

The topic of sports also surfaced. While Bishop Malesic has confessed to being a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he said before he left the Greensburg Diocese he was given a face mask that has the Steelers on one side and the Browns on the other.

“I’m here in Cleveland, so I’m a Browns fan,” he said. But he told Mitchell he would let him in on a secret.

“Someone knitted a tiny ‘Terrible Towel’ for me,” he said, which is small enough that he can put in his pocket and no one would see it.

Bishop Malesic said he’s eager to get acquainted with the diocese and its people and is anxiously awaiting the time when restrictions imposed due to the health crisis will be lifted so he can get out among the faithful.

As for his hope, he summed it up by saying that he “hopes to grow spiritually.”

In addition to the interview with Chanel 3, the bishop will be easing into the Mass rotation at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. He also plans to get acquainted with members of the diocesan senior staff and other diocesan employees in the coming weeks and months. And, when the health emergency lifts, he said he’s eager to get out among the faithful of the diocese

To watch the archived livestream broadcast of the installation Mass, click here. The bishop’s homily can be viewed here.

The livestream for the installation Mass was presented by the Sisters of Charity Health System, whose ministries in Cleveland include St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, Regina Health Center, Light of Hearts Villa, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland and Joseph’s Home.

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