The First Friday Club of Cleveland hosted its 67th anniversary Bishop’s Luncheon Feb. 6 at Windows on the River.
An overflow crowd of more than 500 people packed the banquet room to hear Bishop Edward Malesic’s address, which touched on a number of topics including his first pastoral letter, “A Flourishing Apostolic Church,” and its message of worship, evangelization and service; the new diocesan deanery system; Catholic schools; his appreciation for the generosity of the faithful; an update on the Keeping the Faith initiative to strengthen Catholic schools and news on the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.
In addition, Sister Juanita Shealey, CSJ received the 2025 Bishop Roger Gries Heart of a Servant Award. Presenting the award was Sister Rita Mary Harwood, SND, who received the honor in 2023.
Sister Harwood referred to Sister Shealey as the Rosetta Stone, a touchstone, for the diocese. The ancient stone is carved with an inscription in three languages and is considered a key for deciphering ancient Egyptian scripts.
Sister Shealey was a longtime educator, principal, professor, campus minister and communicator during her 73 years of religious life. Sister Harwood said she “translated God’s message for us,” reminding us that God is good, God is good all the time and he is with us always.
In a brief, recorded message, Sister Shealey expressed her gratitude for the honor and promised the group, “You can count on my prayers. God bless each and every one of you.”
Sister Jane Nesmith, SBS and head of the diocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministries, presented Sister Shealey with a plaque from the National Black Sisters’ Conference in thanksgiving and in recognition of her achievements. In 1968, Sister Shealey was a founding member of the organization.
After an introduction by Therese Boepple, First Friday Club president, Bishop Malesic delivered his address.
“2024 was certainly an eventful, fruitful and busy year. I am so encouraged by the enthusiasm for our Catholic faith that I have personally witnessed over the past 12 months, as well as the tremendous generosity of the people of the Diocese of Cleveland in supporting our efforts to worship, evangelize and serve the people across eight counties … I am proud to be a part of the Church here in Northeast Ohio and blessed to be supported by all of you,” the bishop said.
Speaking about his pastoral letter, Bishop Malesic said he hopes everyone in the diocese reads the document, which was mailed with the January/February issue of Northeast Ohio Catholic magazine, and prayerfully considers it. The letter also is available online.
It draws attention to the Paschal Mystery of Christ — his suffering, death and Resurrection — noting the mystery is the model for each of us in our spiritual lives.
“Each of us must die to self so that we might rise up and, together, strengthen our Church, so that all together — with the new life Jesus wants to put in our hearts — our diocese might truly flourish” he said.
The bishop also talked about the need to have an abiding friendship with God, who asks each of us to be a missionary disciple. This requires a daily prayer life. He suggests a minimum of 15 minutes each day, noting reception of the sacraments and additional Mass attendance are ways to accomplish this. In addition, gathering in small groups to share faith, support each other in faith and grow in faith is important. There are opportunities in parishes and through programs or organizations.
Speaking of parishes, the bishop noted that there are three characteristics of an apostolic parish, one which is rooted in the tradition of the apostles: worship, evangelization and service. “This is what the apostolic Church did at the very beginning,” he said, explaining that the Church grew from this.
This is the third and final year of the National Eucharistic Revival, the Year of Mission, which is why the bishop said this is “the perfect time to ask all Catholics to rise up with Christ, especially present in the Eucharist. He alone can fill our lives with grace, direction, meaning and ultimately, salvation, as we were created to be saints.”
The bishop shared the story of a fifth-grader he met while visiting a Catholic school in the diocese. The boy said he had seen the bishop at the Rite of Election in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. He wasn’t Catholic, but attended a Catholic school and fell in love with the Eucharist. He saw Jesus in the Eucharist and told his mother he wanted to receive it, to become Catholic. This inspired his mother to join him in preparation. She came into full communion with the Church and with him at the Easter Vigil. “She came to deeper faith through her son. There are others who can come to deeper faith through your witness,” he said.
The bishop asked attendees to define their own mission using their gifts from God, asking the Lord for guidance and listening to his response.
He also touched on the new deanery structure in the diocese. The previous 13 districts were revamped into a 12-deanery structure with a priest leading each group of parishes and acting as the bishop’s representative. Each dean will care for the priests in his area, visit the parishes and oversee their good governance and vitality. Also, each deanery will have a committee to shape a pastoral plan using the gifts of both clergy and lay faithful.
Regarding the Catholic schools, Bishop Malesic said enrollment has continued to increase with nearly 40,000 students enrolled this year. He called this a testament to the excellence of the Catholic schools and to the values parents are seeking when they choose the best school for their children.
“It is the largest youth ministry in our diocese. I am so proud of the performance of our schools. They continue to outshine other schools in our state,” he added.
The bishop also praised the faithful throughout the diocese for their generosity, highlighting the following:
- The Fund a Dream scholarship program, which raised $450,000 in 2024 and pairs donors with students to grant $2,500 scholarships to help offset tuition costs.
- The Angel Scholarship fund that allows taxpayers to receive 100% tax credit on their state income taxes for cash donations to certified scholarship-granting organizations. The program allows up to $750 for a single person or $1,500 for those filing jointly. Donations for the 2024 tax year can be made through April 15.
- #weGiveCatholic, which takes place on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2024), raised a record-setting $4.1 million from 10,000 donors for Catholic schools, parishes, nonprofits and other Catholic organizations. It was a 20% increase over the 2023 event.
- Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, which brought in more than $15.6 million in 2024 through donations and pledges. Catholic Charities is a lifeline for many in need, serving nearly 400,000 people by providing food to the hungry, housing the homeless, operating childhood development centers, providing addiction and mental health services, job and career training, after school programs, summer camps for the young and assisted living and skilled nursing care.
Regarding Keeping the Faith, Bishop Malesic said significant progress was made last year, especially with the launch of a classical Catholic education model at St. Brendan School in North Olmsted, the first school under the diocese’s purview to take this step. In addition, the Lake County Catholic School Network was initiated. It involves six parishes in Lake County — Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. John Vianney, St. Justin Martyr, St. Mary Magdalene and St. Noel — that support two elementary schools, All Saints and Mater Dei Academy. The first president, Barbara Mancari, was named this week. She will oversee the schools’ operations.
“By leveraging the support of all member parishes, the areas of governance that are vital to the ongoing vitality and success of these schools will be significantly strengthened,” the bishop said.
And finally, he mentioned the Jubilee Year of Hope, which was declared by Pope Francis. Information about the year, including sacred sites established in each of the eight counties of the diocese, how to obtain a plenary indulgence and more can be found on the diocesan website.
The bishop also told the group he led 90 pilgrims on a trip to Rome last month, one of the first groups to visit during this Jubilee year. They attended an audience with the pope, who extended is blessing to all.
Before closing, the bishop answered a couple of questions. He reminded attendees that they should become “tabernacles with feet” but to do this, they must be empty enough to receive God’s love.
“The more you give, the more you receive,” he said.
Another question asked about fitting into the Church if the person has doubts.
Recalling his own story, Bishop Malesic said, “That was me as a teenager. Having doubt is not a bad thing because it forces us to go on a search for the answers.” He also served in campus ministry, which he said exposed him to many people with doubts.
“Accompany each other in faith to find the truth … Always search for the answer. Never give up,” he added.
Peter Burak of Renewal Ministries will present the March 6 program. Sister Susan Durkin, OSU, will discuss the women’s religious archive collaborative on April 3 and Father Andrij Hlabse, SJ, will speak on May 1. The First Friday Club of Cleveland meets at 11:30 a.m. the Thursday before the first Friday of each month at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe. Click here for more information.