Surveying the 660 Holy Name High School students who gathered on March 2 in the gym for Mass, Bishop Edward Malesic remarked that the venue – normally a place of competition – had been transformed into a sacred space.
“I look out and see my youngest brothers and sisters,” he said, reminding the students that their school, founded in 1914, was a special place named after the holy name of Jesus.
Joining the bishop for the liturgy were Father Joe Menkhaus, Holy Name chaplain and parochial vicar at St. Bernadette Parish in Westlake, and Deacon Mark Tomecko, the school’s director of mission and formation.
(See photo gallery above.)
“Remember, you belong to Christ 24/7. Being a Christian is not a part-time thing,” the bishop said. He also reminded them that faith is fragile and something the devil would love them to give up. “Please nourish your faith at Mass … Jesus is waiting to meet you.”
He also described faith as “like charcoal in a fire pit” waiting to burn.
The bishop used Holy Name’s pillars of faith, excellence, community and fortitude to illustrate his homily message.
He encouraged them to always strive for excellence, to be their best. “Use your gifts for something more than yourself.”
Building a community within the Church is important, and can be done with mercy, generosity and understanding. “Perfect people are not welcome here,” he said, explaining that we need to let go of anger and other sinful habits and adopt forgiveness. “It may be harder to forgive ourselves,” the bishop said, adding that having some guilt or shame is not a bad thing. In fact, it can be God’s way of teaching us not to do something again. We often are harder on ourselves that God is, so we need to accept that and move on.
“No sin is stronger than God’s mercy. God never gets tired of forgiving,” he added.
“Mercy, understanding and a bit of fortitude are how we build faith … Jesus reminds us that strength isn’t always shown in power, it can be shown in weakness,” the bishop said. He told the students that Jesus loves us as we are, “But he loves us so much that he won’t let us stay as we are. He tells us to follow him, to strive for the next thing and ultimately, for heaven … but that takes patience.”
He encouraged the students to watch what they say and to cultivate kindness so that “words of hatred give way to words of hope and peace.”
After lunch, Shelbrey Blanc, ’95, HNHS president, and Kathi Powers, principal, welcomed the bishop for a lunch with about a dozen students. Among them were two girls who will be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
“You inspire me,” the bishop told the students.