It was a chilly, dreary and rainy day outside when Bishop Edward Malesic visited St. Michael School in Independence on April 24 to celebrate Mass for the school community. But he received a warm welcome from the students, teachers and parents who gathered for the liturgy.
Concelebrating the Mass were Father Matt Jordan, who will be installed soon as St. Michael’s pastor; Father Jeff Liptak, parochial vicar at St. Basil the Great Parish in Brecksville, and Father Tom Haren, a retired priest in residence at St. Michael.
He asked the students how many of them saw the solar eclipse earlier this month. As hands popped up throughout the church, he shared his eclipse experience, telling them he was at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe with another bishop friend and the seminarians. They took in the special event together.
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“As special as it was, we believe in something even more powerful – our omnipotent God. He loves us so much he was willing to give his life for us on the cross. And his resurrected body comes to us in the bread and wine at every Mass,” he said.
Reflecting on the eclipse, the bishop said the moon completely covered the sun, but the sun kept on shining. “Even though it was dark, the sun was still shining behind the moon. That’s like God. He always shines and will never leave you in the dark. Jesus is our light. He will always be there. Have faith in Jesus. Keep Christ as your light.”
He said they are fortunate to be attending St. Michael School, “a place where faith and education meet. Faith educates the soul. St. Michael’s is like a family. God’s family gathers here and you can speak freely about God,” he said, gesturing around the church. “God takes delight in each one of you. I see God’s light shining through you. Thank you for allowing him to shine in you. And remember to stay close to Jesus because he wants to be close to you.”
He also reminded the students to be kind to one another. “The best anti-bullying program is the Gospel,” he said.
“Go home and tell your parents you are grateful to them for the sacrifices they make to send you to this school,” the bishop added.
After Mass, he greeted students and teachers as they left the church. Then he visited with the eighth-graders who will be confirmed by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost next month including one eighth-grader who received the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. He reminded them that Jesus wants them to be saints.
“Heaven is a place of peace, justice and mercy. We need to bring that here, to practice it on earth so we know how to act in heaven,” he said.
“Remember that God loves you and he wants us to go out into the world to evangelize, to pass on the true faith, to talk about Jesus and give witness.”
Principal Jennifer Conti said there are 222 students in grades K-8 at St. Michael’s campus and another 70 preschoolers who attend class at St. Basil Parish.