Harrisburg pastor named bishop of Greensburg
Appointee says he is ‘simple parish priest’
The Very Rev. Edward Malesic paused for several moments Friday morning when asked why he thought Pope Francis appointed him bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg.
“I have no idea,” he said in a level, unassuming voice as he met with the press.
But Father Malesic, a pastor and judicial vicar in the Diocese of Harrisburg, where he was born and raised, acknowledged he has a resume that blends roles as a pastor, campus minister and administrator.
“I personally see myself as a simple parish priest,” he said at the Bishop Connare Center, a diocesan conference center in Greensburg. “... But I've been given great opportunities to broaden my understanding of what it means to be church.”
He added: “I hope I’m a good listener.”
Father Malesic, 54, was appointed as the fifth bishop in the diocese’s 64-year history to succeed Bishop Lawrence Brandt,
who is retiring after leading the diocese for 11 years.
Father Malesic is scheduled to be ordained bishop July 13 at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg.
The diocese encompasses the counties of Westmoreland, Fayette, Indiana and Armstrong, with an estimated Catholic population of 150,000.
That population is aging and has declined about 20 percent from just over a decade ago, echoing Catholic declines in many post-industrial regions of the North and East but also reflecting a growing disconnection from younger generations.
Such trends underscore the relevance of Father Malesic’s experience in campus ministry at four central Pennsylvania colleges. He said he has often told students: “This is the best church we can bring to you, and you can make it better.”
Father Malesic echoed many of Pope Francis’ key themes. His official motto, “Serve the Lord with gladness,” recalls Pope Francis’ encyclical title, “The Joy of the Gospel.” And he cited Pope Francis’ proclamation of an upcoming Holy Year of Mercy.
“As Pope Francis said of himself, I too am a fellow sinner. But because I am a fellow believer I have also received the mercy of God. I want to proclaim that. God is good.”
And while he gave no indications of eagerly wading into culture wars, Father Malesic signaled he would defend church opposition to such things as abortion and assisted suicide, proclaiming the “dignity that ... every human being has from conception until natural death.”
He acknowledged that the diocese has seen numerous parishes and schools closing or merging. Bishop Brandt took criticism for closing parishes that members contended were financially viable despite enrollment declines.
Father Malesic said demographic shifts call “for some creativity in the future” but added: “I think Bishop Brandt has done an excellent job setting up this diocese for the future and plan to work with that. Don’t expect any great changes from me any time soon.”
He was ordained a priest in 1987, is currently a pastor in York Haven, Pa., and was previously an assistant at other parishes.
As judicial vicar for the diocese, his duties include handling petitions for annulments from divorced couples. Bishops worldwide have debated whether to ease or even replace the annulment process, and Father Malesic said he has worked to make the process as streamlined as possible.
Dozens of priests and diocesan staff members attended the news conference and liked what they saw.
“He seems to be a perfect fit for what Pope Francis wants in a bishop,” with an emphasis on “mercy,” said Monsignor Richard Curci, the diocesan liaison to retired and international priests.
“He understands the challenges of college students,” added Archabbot Douglas Nowicki of St. Vincent Archabbey, a Benedictine monastery near Latrobe that is also home to a college and seminary.
Before noontime Mass on Friday outside Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in downtown Greensburg, worshipers said they had strong hopes for the new bishop.
June Hoehler of Greensburg said she hopes for “a humble, good leader who brings all the people together.”
Drew McCaffrey of Greensburg said that with the challenges of an aging and shrinking Catholic population, he hopes the new bishop will succeed in “dealing with younger people, making the Roman Catholic Church a little more attractive.”
Bishop Brandt submitted his resignation last year after more than a decade in office when he reached 75, the age bishops are required to offer their resignation.
Bishop Brandt told Father Malesic he was coming to a “gem” of a diocese and told workers he was “truly blessed to be your bishop.”