As he looked over the congregation in St. Colman Church on St. Patrick’s Day, Bishop Edward Malesic saw a sea of green.
In contrast to smaller crowds for a few years as the pandemic waned, the church was packed on March 17 for the traditional West Side Irish American Club’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Mass. In fact, some of the faithful spilled out of the open doors. Others lined the walls, the back and the front of the church several deep.
(See a photo gallery with images from both the Mass and parade above.)
“Today, everyone is Irish, including me,” the bishop quipped as he welcomed all to the liturgy and celebration of faith and heritage. He told the crowd that he made his first trip to Ireland last summer. “What a great place with hospitable people, lush scenery and historical places that reminded me of the faith that St. Patrick brought to the Emerald Isle.”
He reflected on St. Patrick’s life, noting he was a giant of the fifth century and remains for us an extraordinary example of how one Christian witness can have “an awesome, lasting effect on the world. St. Patrick never visited America, but he strengthened the Irish people who came here. In that way, St. Patrick has made a difference for all of us in the United States,” the bishop said.
He noted the liturgy was being celebrated in St. Colman Church on Cleveland’s West Side, “a magnificent, historic church. It rose from the irrepressible love the Irish Catholic immigrant community had for their faith.” The structure, with its distinctive twin bell towers, was dedicated in 1880 and its interior deeply reflects the rich heritage of the Irish people, the bishop said.
“As we celebrate, we cannot help but notice the prevalence of the color green, long a traditional associated with St. Patrick and Ireland,” he added. Although it was the fifth Sunday of Lent and purple vestments were required for the Mass, Bishop Malesic pointed out that his pectoral cross was held in place by a green cord around his neck.
“Green is the color of life. That is the direction Jesus sets out for us – always from death to life,” he added.
In the Gospel, Jesus said unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just that – a grain of wheat. However, if it dies to itself, it will produce much fruit. He talked about the importance of dying to self in order to give to others, to become the person that God wants us to be, “a person of great faith, a lover of neighbor, a witness for the Gospel, a person who picks up the cross and follows Jesus, a saint in heaven. That is what God made you to be.”
Reflecting on St. Patrick, the bishop said if he had never died to self, he wouldn’t be honored today.
“Let us use the life of St. Patrick as an example for all of us a disciples of Jesus. Let’s muster the courage, as St. Patrick did, to talk with others about Jesus who is for us the way, the truth and the life. Let’s find the courage to invite others to ‘come and see’ and grow in their relationship with God through his Church,” he said.
God tells us to bring a bit of heaven to earth, which takes dying to oneself so that we might live our lives for Jesus in this world. “We are meant to be planted in the life of Christ so that we can become what we were meant to be – saints. So, don’t just sit there. Go and follow where Jesus leads. Today, he leads us to bring our faith out of this Church and into the streets of Cleveland. In fact, let’s have the courage of St. Patrick to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.”
Concelebrating the Mass were retired priests Father Tom Mahoney, Father Timothy Daw and Father John McNulty, as well as Father Caroli Shao, St. Colman pastor.
The Apostle’s Creed was recited in Gaelic by 97-year-old Alphonsus O’Leary.
Dozens of units that would be marching in the parade as well as parade and honoree of the WSIA were in the congregation.
After Mass, the bishop traveled downtown to bless the parade and march with the hundreds of participants, greeting crowds along the way.