Hello and may the peace of Christ be with all of you. I’m Bishop, Edward Malesic, the new bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland.
Never did I think I would become a bishop. My only plan was to be a parish priest. But there is an old saying: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans!”
Now, I find myself appointed by the Holy Father as your bishop. Knowing that God constantly surprises us with new blessings, I can honestly say I am so extremely happy and very grateful that God has called me to Northeast Ohio to be your new shepherd.
I am already finding that our Church here is vibrant, with a strong faith, and friendly people. I look forward to meeting everyone from Ashland to Painesville, from Cleveland to Akron, from Lorain to Wooster and all the wonderful places in between. I can’t wait to explore my new home.
If you’re wondering about who I am – first and foremost -- I am a disciple of Jesus and I love his Church. I am a person who is always in awe that the Lord called me to ordained ministry, especially since I started out as a biology major in college. Over the years, Jesus has shown me great love. He is the source of my joy. I want to share his Gospel with everyone. I want to share the Lord with you. My motto, “Serve the Lord with Gladness,” guides how I try to live my life.
No doubt you know that just like any big city and large diocese, we face many challenges together: the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing racial tensions and widening political divisions. We cannot ignore these challenges. But, as Christians, we trust that God provides for us. Christ is even now praying that we might all be one. Jesus wants to lead us to receive his peace. Jesus leads us forward to a future full of hope. The Gospel is simple. Jesus Christ died for us and rose for us and told us to die to self so that we might rise again with him. We move from death to life – that is always the direction of our Church. It is the direction that our Church offers to our society. It is the message that all of us are called to proclaim – that Jesus saves us from those things that want to destroy us. We should not be shy about proclaiming this good news.
Thank you for your warm welcome. I come as a stranger, but I hope to become a friend and a brother to all of you. As I begin to make my way around our diocese, never hesitate to introduce yourself if you see me here and there. I look forward to connecting with you on social media and through Northeast Ohio Catholic magazine so that we can get to know each other better. And finally -- and most importantly -- let’s always keep each other in prayer and support one another on our journey of faith.
May God bless you and those you love.