The Most Reverend James A. Hickey, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, and the Community of St. Malachi jointly announced today the formal recognition of the Community as a personal parish of the Diocese.

In a personal parish, membership is not determined by those living in a designated geographic area, but rather by persons requesting membership— hence, the term "personal". Qualification for membership is individual commitment to the purpose of the community parish.

In recognizing this alternate form of parish structure, Bishop Hickey noted that the Church should maintain a spirit of Openness toward developing ways in which more people can share in community life.

Speaking for the 240 members of the community, Genevieve McCloskey, Chairperson of the Steering Committee, said,

"We appreciate Bishop Hickeys interest in and awareness of the life and involvement of the Community. Diocesan recognition substantiates this as a viable and visible form of contemporary Catholicism.

The Community of St. Malachi parish is unique in that although its location of operation, by choice, is within the context of the 110—year old territorial parish, it is not bound by these buildings. Because of its Christian concerns, it has identified with this area

 

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The Community of St. Malachi grew from a spirit of Liturgical Renewal inspired by the Second Vatican Council. In 1961, Father Paul fritz, then Associate Pastor at St. Malachi Parish, began celebrating a Sunday Mass that drew people from the greater Cleveland area, West 25th and Detroit Avenue, who wished to share in a renewed and revitalized liturgy.

In June 1971, some of the lay who were regular participants of that liturgy decided to explore the possibility of a fuller relationship. An invitation to discuss this idea was extended to the congregation one Sunday morning. It drew an enthusiastic response from those desiring to share not only liturgy, but also, their Christian lives, ideas, and social concerns more fully. The Community of St. Malachi was born.

In August 5th 1971, a petition signed by about 200 community members was sent to the Diocese requesting establishment of a non—territorial Parish. The community continued to move ahead with worship, education and social action activities centered at the Church and in the surrounding neighborhood.

Bishop Hickey met with community members twice during February of this year to discuss areas of the Community’s Charter that needed to be revised or clarified in order to establish recognition. In late February, the Bishop accepted proposed changes submitted by the community. On March 23, 1975, at a General Community Meeting, the Community of St. Malachi voted to adopt those amendments to their Charter which would establish the community as a Personal Parish.

The relationships and functions of the Community of St. Malachi as a Personal Parish will be reviewed by members of the community and the Bishop at the end of a three year period.

 

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