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The Community of St. Malachi exists as a response to Vatican II. Beginning on December
3, 1967, a group of people, many who had been involved with the Catholic Conference of
Laity, began to worship at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday liturgy celebrated by Fr. Paul Hritz at
St. Malachi Church. From the beginning, the Eucharistic liturgy has been the center of the
Community's spirituality and continuing existence.
One of the things that attracted people to the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Malachi and the group
who would become the Community of St. Malachi was the desire for the renewal and updating
called for by Vatican II. In addition to Fr. Hritz's weekly homilies, adult religious
education and formation programs were very significant in the early days of the Community.
Workshops, talks and programs were publicized or offered to encourage continued adult
religious formation; especially noteworthy was a Scripture series offered by Fr. Eugene
Laverdiere SSS in November, 1971.
In June, 1971, a small group of regular participants decided to explore creating a fuller
and more formal relationship. The group began home meetings to discuss and discern a
future "new" church based on the spirit of Vatican II. From these early
meetings, lay leadership was emphasized as was personal commitment to active participation
in the mission of the Church.
In August, 1971 "A Declaration of Position and Intent" was sent to Bishop
Clarence Issenman with 200 signatures seeking diocesan approval as an experimental,
non-geographic parish. This led to a meeting with Auxiliary Bishop William Cosgrove. A
Charter for the Community of St. Malachi was developed and approved on April 18, 1972 at
the Community's Annual Meeting. Elections were held for at-large members of the Steering
Committee established by the Charter. On April 23, 1975, Bishop James Hickey granted the
Community provisional parish status for a three year period. On May 13, 1980, the
Community of St. Malachi was given permanent status as a personal, non-territorial parish.
The concept of personal parish was considered experimental at that time. The Community
Steering Committee (Council) decided that it was important for members to feel free to
belong only as long as they wished to be members. Part of the experimental nature of the
personal parish was the aspect that membership was based solely on desire to be a member,
not upon other criteria. It was decided that the choice to belong be an annual
decision.
Furthermore, membership was an active involvement rather than a mere "coming to
church." Requiring an annual re-commitment seemed to emphasize these aspects of
membership in the Community. On April 18, 1972, the charter was approved, with the
stipulation that membership be an annual commitment.
Originated in the summer of 1972 with 25 to 40 people being
served at St. John's Episcopal Church. It was later moved to St. Malachi Parish Hall. As
the numbers of people increased every year, an overall coordinator was designated in 1980.
In 1980, 125 to 150 persons were coming for the evening meal. Monday Night Meal now serves
approximately 300 to 500 meals per week, and 25,000 meals annually. This ministry is also
extended to residents of the Lake View High Rise and Malachi House.
The charter members, from the time of the Steering Committee, intended to create a
vital Christian presence, and social action was a constitutive element from the beginning.
The committee that spoke to these areas was SOCIAL ACTION, called SOCIAL CONCERNS IN 1975.
It is called SOCIAL ACTION now.
Ministry to the local neighborhood and the wider community was a main focus. There were
many expressions; such as, distribution of shoes at Thanksgiving, baskets at Easter,
Monday Night Meal (1975), Neighborhood Ministry, support of the United Farm Workers, and
the Bail Bond Project.
A Christian Formation program began in 1972.
A Director of Religious Education was hired to coordinate programs for children and
adults, because the Community was interested in fostering programs for all age groups. By
1975 it became evident there was no statement on parental responsibility. The Community
decided that parental responsibility was a key element. From then on it focused on
children and youth while supporting parents' efforts with other activities.
In 1985, the CSM began to explore the issue of "sanctuary;" and in May, 1986,
the Social Concerns Committee voted to enter into a discernment process in a joint effort
with the Parish of St. Malachi. Nine discernment sessions were planned and provided
information regarding major implications of a Sanctuary Ministry including ethical, legal,
and immigration considerations.
Following that process, the CSM and parish membership voted separately to determine the
degree of involvement, if any, with the Sanctuary movement. As a result of the CSM voting
process, a Sanctuary Committee was formed in commitment to this ministry. The parish voted
to support refugees in legal residence here.
The first refugee, "Pedro" from Guatemala, was served in December, 1986, with a
total of 13 refugees helped through 1989.
In 1984, St. Malachi purchased an old trucking depot situated
at the east end of the St. Malachi Church property on Superior Viaduct. By the loving
labor of scores of volunteers, the building was transformed. The Saint
Malachi Center was dedicated in
1985.
Saint Malachi Center was established by the Parish and Community of St. Malachi as a ministry
directed principally to people on the Near West Side of Cleveland. The primary mission of
the
Saint Malachi Center is to support residents -- especially, youth and women -- in their efforts at
self development. The
Saint Malachi Center also hosts and sponsors activities for church, community, and
school groups.
At the May 1985 annual meeting, members of the Community
of St. Malachi endorsed an amendment to their charter which expressed a permanent
commitment to continue their worship and gospel service to others through the facilities
of St. Malachi Church.
Following that charter change, the Community of St. Malachi recognized a need to plan for
the future and began developing goals and action steps to carry its mission forward. The
Community decided to concentrate on the following areas: communication,
community-building, coordination and consistency within itself, the Cleveland Diocese,
geographic neighborhood of St. Malachi, the greater Church, youth, and those who are not
part of a formal church structure.
At each annual meeting, progress on goals and action steps has been reported to the
membership. Direction is then given to the newly-elected Council, which works to develop
and implement activities related to Community goals during its year of service.
1994, the Council did a Needs Assessment and surveyed the Community at the Annual Meeting.
From this survey, Council developed a set of aims and goals which it continues to
implement.
1996-1997 Council is developing and implementing a pastoral plan, continuing with the aims
and goals of the previous two years.
A. The Council Members affirmed and personally supported the proposal to the Catholic
Commission on Community Action regarding registration and draft issues.
B. The Community Council voted to support the Catholic Community Action Commission
resolution on Central America.
C. Council supported the Resurrection Parish for FutureChurch in 1990.
FutureChurch
strives to maintain the celebration of Eucharist by supporting institutional changes
including married and female clergy.
D. The Community became a member of the St. Malachi Ministries Advisory Council, an
outgrowth of the Transitional Committee for the selection of a new pastor in 1993-1994.
St. Malachi Ministries include the Parish, the Community, Urban Community School, the
St.
Malachi Center, and Malachi
House.
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