The Community of St. Malachi Newsletter  

·  “An Experiment In Listening And Learning”
·  Open Forum 
·  A Warm CSM Welcome To… Andy Turner
·  Six-Week Community-Wide Reflection, Prayer & Discussion Series
·  Host Homes, Dates & Times For Discussion Series
·  Sympathy And Prayers 
·  Health Department 
·  Special Prayers Roster
·  A CSM Welcome 
·  They’re All In Print…CSM Congratulations To…. 
·  St. Malachi Book Club Meets
·  Task Force On Sexual Abuse Meets

Newsletter Editor: Mary Englert MTEnglert@juno.com

  The Community of St. Malachi – First Personal Parish of the Diocese of Cleveland
Celebrating Faith in God and in the Future! 

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 12, 2003

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is the title of the new book by Sr. Joan Chittister selected by the CSM Spiritual Development Committee for a six-week, community-wide reflection, prayer and discussion series to begin Nov. 1, as announced in our Sept. 28 CSM Newsletter. The request at that time for host homes has met with success. To date, the following home locations and times have been established:

Avon Lake, Sundays, 6 p.m.

North Olmsted, Mondays, 7:30 p.m.

Berea, four Sundays, 7 p.m.

Lakewood, Fridays, 7 p.m.

Cleveland West Side, Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

Cleveland Heights, negotiable time

For further information call Stephanie Pritts, 216-228-6272 or Nickie Stary, 216-541-4310 – nickmstary@netscape.net  

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CSM SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS for the family and friends of Cathy Stienecker.

CSM SPECIAL PRAYERS ROSTER  – Please keep in your prayers all the victims of warfare, both military and civilian, as well as these young people now in military service, and their families: Matthew Beauclair, John Parkowski, Danny Gwyn, Victor Valentino Jr., Provented P. Taylor, Bill Nelligan, Michael Gomez, T. J. Gordon, Michael O’Neill, Ricky Szabo, Brian McCullough, Gary Faerber, Paul Kocian, Jim Curtin, Brian Chambers, Edward Dvorak, Christopher Dvorak, Dave Salinas, David McLaughlin, Tim Nemes, Randy Mieskaski. (Fortunately, this list grows smaller each issue. Among names removed this week was Brian Collins, the son-in-law of Terry Hayes, who extends his thanks to all for their prayers.)

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A CSM WELCOME to Connor Thomas Grace, who was baptized during our 11 o’clock Liturgy last Sunday. He is the infant son of Elizabeth and Patrick Grace, and has a big brother, Ryan.

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THEY’RE ALL IN PRINT…CSM Congratulations to…

1. Jerry Sheehan, who wrote an excellent article recently featured on the Plain Dealer’s Forum Page.. It dealt with students’ general need for and rights to government assistance in meeting today’s educational requirements. (Among the readers he heard from favorably was Sen. Ted Kennedy.)

2. FutureChurch and Chris Schenk for the four-page coverage given in the Aug. 11 issue of Time Magazine to the current recognition that Mary of Magdala was not a prostitute but instead was the “Apostle to the Apostles.” FutureChurch and Call to Action were credited as responsible for the now more than 300 annual worldwide celebrations in her honor..

3. George and Anita Eppley, and a team of four other educators who collaborated in authoring the newly published “College and Career Success Simplified,” a college orientation textbook that helps students integrate the personal, college and career aspects of their lives. Most of the other authors, too, are known to many here at St. Malachi: Harry Bury, Judy Cauley CSJ, Eileen Teare and Susanne Alexander. (Publisher is Pearson Longman.)

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· St. Malachi Book Club - Meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, home of Rebecca and Ken Rocco, (440-838-8767). View of a video recording of a presentation on death/dying by Henri Nouwen at an AIDS retreat. Says Casey Stangel: “As usual, all are welcome to this and our monthly book discussions. Do not have to read the book, just enjoy the discussions.” For info call Casey, 440-234-8766.

· CSM Task Force on Sexual Abuse – Meeting, 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, the rectory. Information: Kathy Burke, 216-228-6787.

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MESSAGES, MESSAGES – WE’VE GOT MESSAGES…

I) From the following former CSM treasurers: Gene Kramer, Bruce Wacker, JoAnn Kramer and Bill McLaughlin, and our current treasurer, Marianne Kerr: “We write to respond to an article written in the most recent issue of Communio (Sept. 28, 2003). The author wrote that the decision of the Community of St. Malachi Council to reduce the CSM contribution for parish support from 29% to 24% of CSM regular collection income this year has deeply damaged relations between the two parishes that call St. Malachi home. We hope that this is not the case.

“We are proud of the 30 years of continued support that the Community of St. Malachi parish has provided to St. Malachi Parish. Many years ago, it was the CSM that suggested giving 29% of regular collection income to St. Malachi Parish. The CSM also came forward to assist in paying for salaries and benefits. St. Malachi Parish has never set a level of contribution for the CSM to meet; rather, the CSM support payments and contributions for salary expenses have been determined each year by our community council and freely offered to St. Malachi Parish to spend as it sees fit.

“In the year ending June 2003, faced with reduced income in these difficult times, the CSM made many painful cuts in funding for its own activities and totally eliminated all giving to Urban Community School, Malachi House, the West Side Catholic Center and FutureChurch. In her article, the author characterizes these donations to our related ministries as ‘profits.’)

“Payments for parish support and salary support made to St. Malachi Parish, as well as Diocese of Cleveland support payments, were not reduced in any way. Also, the CSM gave an additional $10,000 gift to St. Malachi Parish for the office renovation project. Of the CSM regular collection income that year, 86.35% was paid directly to St. Malachi Parish and 11.5% was paid to the diocese. From the remaining portion of income, the CSM paid in full its $12,000 contribution to St. Malachi Center and funded our own committees. The CSM incurred a large deficit for that 2002-2003 year. We cannot afford to do that again.

“We support the decision of the CSM Council to amend this current year’s budget to reduce St. Malachi Parish support from 29% to 24% of regular collection income (salary participation to remain untouched for now). We support the CSM Council decision to reduce diocesan support from 11.5% to 6% of regular collection income. We understand that unless revenues increase, it may be necessary to make further reductions to these contributions to bring spending in line with income.

“We support the efforts of our treasurer and our CSM Finance Council to work with their St. Malachi Parish counterparts to find a reasonable ‘fair share’ level of CSM contribution to St. Malachi Parish. We support fundraising initiatives already begun by our community council. We appreciate the many hours of volunteer service CSM members provide directly to St. Malachi Parish for activities, renovations and repairs. We are grateful to the generous donors who continue to make possible the ministry of the Community of St. Malachi.” (Ed. Note: Because the next scheduled issue of Communio will not be published until Oct. 26, this response is instead being published in our CSM Newsletter today to offer more timely clarification, in view of apparent misunderstandings, of past and current decisions. – Mary Englert)

II) From our Senior High Christian Formation Class: “Pancake Breakfast a Huge Success! We would like to thank our entire St. Malachi family – both community and parish – for their support of our National Catholic Youth Conference pancake breakfast fundraiser. It was great fun to cook for you, and to have so many of you come and support our fundraising efforts. As a result of your generous support, we were able to add a little over $1400 to our trip account. That leaves only about $1400 more to go. Anyone still wishing to contribute may contact Karen Duffy. Thanks for helping us get closer to our goal and for making our coming NCYC trip a reality. Houston, here we come!”

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III) From St. Malachi Task Force, UHCAN Faith Project (United Health Care Action Network) – The Ohio Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs has succeeded in negotiating a groundbreaking Rx program with the drug companies (PhRMA). For the first time, there will be created a prescription drug program for all Ohio residents 60 and over regardless of income, and all other Ohio residents who do not have prescription coverage and whose income is no greater than 250% of the federal poverty level. ($22,450 individual, $46,00 family of four.) It is estimated that 80% of Ohio’s uninsured and everyone over 60 will be covered. The St. Malachi Task Force cooperated with the coalition of 24 statewide organizations and 300 local groups in obtaining 143,000 signatures calling for state legislation, an achievement which helped produce an agreement with the powerful drug companies. According to coalition leaders, a meeting with Ohio Senate, House and Governor’s representatives has produced promises of introduction of a bipartisan bill and its speedy passage, with no delays or amendments. – Mary Englert

IV) From Joe Wegrzynowski, CSM Liturgy Committee chair: “The Liturgy Committee meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the rectory. Everyone is invited to attend. No experience is needed. At 7:30 p.m. in the school library, we will have a joint meeting with St. Malachi Parish representatives to discuss how St. Malachi will implement the Communion Rite that is scheduled to begin the first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 30). Your input would be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions about either meeting, please call me at home, 216-252-1699.

“Speaking of Advent, there will be a meeting to organize and plan the Advent and Christmas 2003 season at St. Malachi. This will be a joint CSM and St. Malachi Parish meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in the rectory. Everyone is invited to attend. This would be a great opportunity to get seasonally involved with Liturgy planning. Your commitment would be only for a couple months. If you have any questions, call me at home, 216-252-1699.” - J.W.

III) From Carol Lavelle, CSM and rectory staff member - “The rectory office is compiling a list of occasional volunteers for phone answering and other office activities such as stapling, etc., whom we can call on as needed. Please call Kim Kramer or me, 216-781-3110 or 216-861-5343.” - C.L.

IV) From Bill McLaughlin, (Indomitable CSM Volunteer) -- He needs help with the Backdoor Ministry Brunch served our needy visitors at 8:30 a.m. the fourth Sunday of each month, in the hall. Just a few hours. Once a month. Please call him at 440-234-6362.

V) From Dolores Sullin, (Another CSM Unsung Hero) – With regard to her handling of Prayer Alerts, e-mail notifications of deaths, illnesses and other urgent prayer requests: “From time to time I do receive messages directly from members. Sometimes there are messages on my phone machine, and sometimes there are messages on my e-mail. I welcome and honor all messages. The only risk is that if I should be away from communications, I would miss your request. I would regret missing any request for prayers. At all times the personnel at the rectory know if I may be temporarily away from my desk. That is why the CSM Communications Committee has suggested that requests be phoned to the rectory at 216-781-3110 or 217-861-5343. If you should send me a request and do not receive a reply from me on that same day, please contact the rectory. This will assure that your request, especially if time is of the essence, will be sent by my alternate, Luis Gutierrez. God Bless…” - D.S.

VI) From St. Malachi Center – There is a need for a few “good buddies.” The After-School Program needs adults to read with children between the ages of five and seven for one hour per week. For information call 216-771-3036.

Nov 3: Beef Stew

Nov 10: Rigatoni

Nov 17: Italian sausage (no sauce)

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