More than 300 people watched and listened on Nov. 5 as Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries interviewed Bishop Edward Malesic during a virtual lunchtime program sponsored by the First Friday Club of Cleveland.
The two bishops enjoyed some friendly banter before turning to more serious subject matter including how Bishop Malesic discerned his vocation; his reaction when notified he’d been named Bishop of Greensburg, Pennsylvania and later of Cleveland; his work on combatting the opioid epidemic in Greensburg; his thoughts on the issue of respecting life, racism, the clergy crisis, evangelization and getting people back in the pews after the pandemic; the role of laity in the Church; and requesting an auxiliary bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.
Marian Rubin, First Friday Club president, welcomed “attendees” to the virtual program and introduced Lynette Saenz of the Parish Life Office, who offered the opening prayer.
“God is good all the time and all the time God is good,” said Bishop Gries, the First Friday Club’s spiritual moderator, as he opened the session.
Before recapping Bishop Malesic’s biography, Bishop Gries recalled that they met several years ago when both served on the board of St. Vincent College, a Benedictine college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Bishop Gries is a Benedictine monk.
When asked about his decision to become a priest, Bishop Malesic admitted that when he was younger, he “went to Mass because my parents made me go” and said he “wasn’t crazy about it.” Like many teenagers and young adults, he thought about abandoning his faith, but acknowledged that he really didn’t have much knowledge about Catholicism.
“I figured I should learn more about it if I was going to leave the Church,” he said.
Receiving a free Bible his freshman year in college gave him the impetus to reconnect with the Gospels – to actually read them. The more he read and learned about Catholicism, he realized that Jesus founded the Church and it was the one true Church. That prompted him to become more involved.
He recalled attending a conference with his pastor and a religious sister and being double-teamed by them during the trip when they both asked if he’d ever considered the priesthood.
Bishop Malesic, who was studying biology in college, was planning to work in a hospital laboratory and said the priesthood had never crossed his mind.
But the question planted a seed. He went on a retreat and was looking up at a light when he realized that he should become a priest.
Bishop Gries mentioned the bishop’s trip last week to pray and visit with members of the RooCatholic Newman Campus Ministry at the University of Akron, noting he must have felt at home, given his previous time as a campus minister.
“Yes,” Bishop Malesic said, acknowledging it brought back some good memories. He shared that he also received a text message that morning from a nun whom he worked with in campus ministry.
Regarding his first phone call from the papal nuncio, Bishop Malesic said he was serving as pastor of a parish in the Diocese of Harrisburg. It was his day off and when he returned to the parish, his secretary said “a man with an accent” wanted him to call back at a phone number from Washington, D.C. “We had just broken ground for a new church and were about to pour the footers,” he recalled.
When returning the call, he learned it was the nuncio and he said the Holy Father wanted to name him bishop of Greensburg. He recalled feeling ill for a few days, adding that he couldn’t share the news with anyone. But once he could talk about it, Bishop Malesic said he was relieved because he had people from both the dioceses of Harrisburg and Greensburg praying for him. “The weight was lifted by the power of prayer,” he said.
“And the next time you got the call?” Bishop Gries asked.
Bishop Malesic said he was traveling around the Greensburg Diocese for press conferences announcing establishment of a major scholarship fund to aid families needing assistance to send their children to Catholic schools.
“I got a message from the 202 area code (Washington, D.C.). It was the nuncio asking me to call back. And that time, he told me the Holy Father named me bishop of Cleveland. He didn’t ask; he told me,” the bishop quipped. He admitted that Cleveland is much larger than Greensburg.
“People in Pennsylvania and Cleveland are similar, aren’t they?” Bishop Gries asked.
Bishop Malesic agreed and said it brought him memories of his seminary days in Columbus. But given the ongoing pandemic, it’s difficult for him to get out to meet his new flock. The bishop said churches in both Greensburg and Cleveland suspended public Masses for several months earlier this year because of the pandemic.
“We closed the churches (buildings) but we never closed the Church. We continue to pray for each other and the work of the Church goes on,” he added. Also, technology provides new ways to stay connected during the pandemic and allows people to continue watching Mass, even if they can’t attend in person.
Bishop Malesic said Cleveland is blessed with a strong presbyterate and said he loves the diversity of the diocese.
As bishop, one of his roles is to teach. The Catholic Church is a pro-life Church, he said, something we must consider as we form our consciences and make decisions. Abortion, poverty, racism, immigration and the fight against opioid addiction are all pro-life issues. “We must respect life because we are all made in the image and likeness of God,” the bishop said, adding that it’s important for the Church to communicate its message. “Maybe there’s a silver lining in this pandemic because we’re learning to do things in a new way,” he said.
Continuing on the theme of education, Bishop Malesic emphasized its importance. When in Greensburg, he became aware of the opioid epidemic that was impacting countless families. After studying the issue to determine what the Church could do, he said there were two things, “pray and educate.” He wrote a pastoral letter and held a series of listening sessions that attracted hundreds of people. “Education is part of the key to overcoming the crisis,” he added.
Bishop Gries asked about immigration and Bishop Malesic said he is a product of immigration, noting that all four of his grandparents were immigrants. He said we must be kind and treat each other with respect, reminding listeners we are made in God’s image.
Soon after his arrival in Greensburg, Pennsylvania convened a grand jury to examine the clergy abuse issue across the state. Bishop Malesic said they went back to 1947 and what was discovered was reflective of what was happening in our culture then. “It was a bad time; we cannot repeat that. What happened was despicable,” he said, noting it shows that there can be evil even in the best institutions. “We have to be on guard and teach the clergy and lay people to watch for signs of abuse and to report it. We must protect our children,” he said.
Bishop Gries also asked about Bishop Malesic’s approach to confronting racism.
“First we must confront our own racism. We must pray that God will change us so we are not racist and then listen to the teaching of the Church which says racism is a sin. We must do what we need to get rid of it. It’s a respect life issue; it all goes back to the fact that we are made in the image and likeness of God.”
When asked how to encourage people to return to Mass when the pandemic subsides, Bishop Malesic said we may need to “jump-start the Church. I hope I’m right that people miss the community, singing hymns and praying together,” he said. The bishop said he knows a man who’s a teacher and regularly attended Mass with his children – but his wife did not go. During the pandemic, he watched Mass at home and noticed his wife showed an interest. When they were able to start attending Mass again in person, his wife began going with the family.
“We need to communicate what the Mass is: it’s where Jesus offers his sacrifice – his life – for us. We go for him,” he said, adding that once people understand the beauty and depth of the Mass, he’s optimistic more people will participate.
“We’re all sharing in the priesthood of Jesus Christ in the Mass,” Bishop Gries said.
“Evangelism is a message and we have to keep it going, getting out the message on multiple platforms, taking it to the people,” he said, noting it’s our responsibility a Catholics to do that. He said it’s important to form lay leaders in the Church, like the recently certified lay ecclesial ministers, so the clergy and laity can work together to build up Jesus’ kingdom.
When asked by Bishop Gries about requesting “an auxiliary bishop or two,” Bishop Malesic said he can make the request, but it’s up to the Holy Father to make the appointments. “People may not understand that we can only make a request,” he added.
Rubin thanked both bishops for their participation and thanked those who donated to the club’s fall fundraising campaign. “The donations will allow us to continue our 62-year tradition of these programs,” she added.
The next virtual program will be at noon Dec. 3, when Bishop Gries discusses the journey through Advent and preparation for Christmas. Click HERE for more information the club and its program