Newly-Ordained Bishop Conducts Kittanning Mass
Bishop Edward C. Malesic speaks during his First Mass homily at St. Mary’s Our Lady of Guadalupe parish last night in Kittanning.
by Jonathan Weaver
St. Mary Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Kittanning had a special Mass Tuesday evening for the new regional diocese leader.
Bishop Edward C. Malesic conducted a First Mass Tuesday evening after being ordained as the Diocese of Greensburg bishop in July.
“I never thought I’d be a bishop,” Malesic said following the Mass. “It was never on my mind – whenever someone would say ‘Oh, Ed, you’ll be a bishop someday, I would just laugh because I thought I had nothing the Pope would be looking for.
“It came as a complete shock. All I wanted to be was a simple parish priest – my goal in life was just to be a pastor,” Malesic continued. “It’s a blessing to be a bishop – it’s just a whole different, an unexpected world for me.”
Pope Francis named Bishop Malesic the bishop of Greensburg in Rome on April 24. He was ordained during a three-and-a-half-service July 13 in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Greensburg.
But, Malesic knew he was going to be bishop April 13 and had to keep it secret. He even recalled that he was between a dentist appointment and going shopping in a casual outfit during his day off when he received a call from the Vatican Embassy.
During the beginning of his 15-minute homily Tuesday, Malesic – a priest in a handful of churches and universities across the Northeast United States - referred to himself as a ‘baby bishop’ to the nearly-150 parishioners who attended.
Malesic encouraged parishioners during his homily to keep their faith in Jesus and their youthful nature despite changes in their lives and in the diocese.
“We can’t be driven by trends – we must be driven by the teachings of Jesus, which have proven to be tried and true. Jesus guides us, and we must be careful, vigilant of our Catholic voice,” Bishop Malesic said. “Everything we do as a church must be done with Jesus in mind.
How do we deal with change? We hold on to Jesus.”
Malesic said the prayers he received following the announcement have given him strength.
St. Mary’s Father Doug Dorula met Bishop Malesic June 6 at a priest ordination in Harrisburg. Once invited to attend his parish, Dorula brought along a gift – four bags of barbecue potato chips (one for each county in the diocese).
“I figured it’s a nice gesture to take a gift – a friend of mine in the Diocese of Harrisburg told me he likes barbecue potato chips – and a particular brand called Middleswarth,” Father Dorula said. “We want to work together to promote the Catholic faith, but also to make sure that all God’s people are taken care of.”
Dorula knew St. Mary’s in Kittanning would host one of the 11 First Mass celebrations at the end of June.
“I was asked by the diocese if I would host one of the masses, and I was very touched by it. I was very humbled that he would want to come to one of his First Mass up to St. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe,” Father Dorula said. “We had a wonderful turnout tonight.”
Dorula was able to identify parishioners from New Kensignton, Yatesboro, and Freeport - among other regional parishes and cities - that attended last night and stayed to meet with the new bishop.
Bishop Malesic greeted people for nearly two hours in the parish hall following the mass.
Malesic joked that he needs to transition football alliances - from favoring the Philadelphia Eagles to the Pittsburgh Steelers - and calling caffeinated drinks ‘pop’ rather than ‘soda.’
Ken Boylan, of Plumcreek Township, and his family - including wife, Darlene, four daughters - Margaret, Bernadette, Rita and Emma - and son, Brendan - have roots in common with the new bishop, but said only one of those transitions is really necessary.
“We have a common background – we were originally from the Philadelphia area,” Boylan said. “The two things we told him was 1) you can still say ‘soda,’ but 2) you have to become a Steelers fan.”
Father Jonathan Wisneski, priest at Seven Dolars Parish in Yukon (Westmoreland County), also serves as one of Bishop Malesic’s Masters of Ceremonies – a position he has held in the diocese since 1999.
“Working with and for Bishop Malesic has been a joy – there’s no one adjective that’s going to capture,” Father Wisneski said. “He has a nice sense of humor; he’s been very easy to work with.”
Father Wisneski said First Masses were being planned even before Bishop Malesic’s official ordination.
The only priest in his family, Malesic will celebrate his 55th birthday Friday.
About 150,000 Catholics are within the Diocese of Greensburg.
About 150 Catholic parishioners were estimated in the Kittanning church pews last night - from both local parishes and those outside the county.
Local News | jweaver August 12, 2015
