A group of Case Western Reserve University students who are members of the Case Catholic Newman group hosted Bishop Edward Malesic at a dinner event on April 10.
The students gathered for prayer and dinner at Holy Rosary Church in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, which is near the CWRU campus.
After enjoying a pulled pork dinner, the bishop spoke to the group about his faith journey.
“I was not a very intentional Catholic when I was young,” the bishop said, adding that he attended Mass regularly with his family. He said he believed in God but for a time wasn’t sure he would remain a Catholic.
A life-changing experience in college was a key development in his faith journey. He recalled receiving a Bible from the Gideons when he was struggling to adjust to college life. The bishop said he still has that Bible and plans to be buried with it.
He intended to become a medical technologist and to work in a hospital. But God had other plans for him, the bishop said. He recognized that he was being called to the priesthood so he abandoned his medical technology studies and entered the seminary.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and ministered in parishes and as a campus minister. Eventually, he was sent to study canon law and became pastor of a growing parish.
Almost a decade ago, Pope Francis named him bishop of Greenburg, Pennsylvania. Then in 2020, he was appointed bishop of Cleveland.
Asked what he missed most about parish work after becoming a bishop, he said celebrating marriages, baptisms and hearing confessions regularly. He said he enjoyed the rhythm of parish life.
Case Catholic is a Newman Campus Ministry of the Diocese of Cleveland, led by Heidi Kempf Chew, associate director of campus ministry.
Case Catholic serves CWRU, the Cleveland Institute of Art and the Cleveland Institute of Music. It is headquartered at Holy Rosary Parish. Membership includes undergraduate and graduate students, including those in the medical school at CWRU.
Joann Rymarczyk-Piotrkowski is the diocesan director of Newman Catholic Campus Ministry.