Parish Council wants to hear from you! Join us this weekend in the back of the church on this Saturday after mass or Sunday in the hall for coffee hour.

We’re eager to hear what’s on your mind about St. Malachi Parish. Please bring your ideas, concerns and questions with you (or simply say hello).

On the weekend (May 11th and 12th) Parish Council members will be present after each Mass to listen to members share their thoughts about St. Malachi becoming an oratory. At our June council meeting we will be discussing the status of the parish and the best option for the long term viability to continue our ministry. We are seeking members to come and share either after Saturday at 4PM Mass in the church or at coffee hour on Sunday. If you are unable to attend, please consider offering input by completing this form https://bit.ly/FutureSMP

 

The parish has affirmed the five candidates that ran for parish council:
Kathy Burke, Sr. Mary Lizette Hoevel, Terry Jungquist,
Sharon Lowe Chapman and Ed Shemo.

Several people were nominated for the additional slot and the nominating committee will be following up with those individuals. We also want to thank Margaret Armstead, Claudia Cabrera, Matt Hils, Hollis Johnson, and Judy Slivka for their service to the council.

 

Attendance: Fr. Gurnick, Judy Slivka, Cathy Graham, Jan Durkalski, Margaret Armstead, Sharon Lowe-Chapman, Mike Pellegrino, Peter Toomey, Jeff Walters, Jeanette Shemo

*Jan Durkalski- Report on the work of the Collaborative Steering Committee
Work Groups began individual meetings in March. Work groups consist of parishioners from both parishes, a Staff member and a Collaborative Steering Committee member. Each Work Groups is following a uniform method to research and determine the best possible recommendations to proceed with transitioning to an Oratory Church affiliated with St. Patrick Parish. The Work Groups will work together at times when an overlap of purpose will occur. All Work Group members will meet on Saturday, May 11 to update the Collaborative Steering Committee and discuss the status of their proposed plans. There will be Listening Sessions scheduled at the beginning of June for all parishioners and interested parties to hear the Work Group reports and solicit input and feedback on the proposals.
*Judy Slivka- Technology/Communication
Judy discussed the need for accessing and streamlining the process for exchanging documents among the Parish Council members. A few solutions were presented and will be researched.

*Cathy Graham- Nominating Committee for openings on Parish Pastoral Council
Cathy reported we have three candidates running for the Parish Pastoral Council and we need more. The nominating process is continuing. Nominees are still needed, and contact information for the committee is in the bulletin. The Nominees will be introduced at the Annual Meeting. There are 5-6 open seats on the Council this year.

*Judy Slivka- Annual St. Malachi Parish Meeting
The Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday April 14, 2024 in the church following 10:00 AM Mass. The meeting will be recorded and live streamed on the Parish YouTube channel. The Annual Meeting is an opportunity to inform and report to our parishioners regarding our finances, ministries, properties and progress towards the collaboration with St. Patrick Parish. Hospitality committee is serving a delicious brunch in the Hall immediately following the meeting.
*Father Gurnick- Fr. Tony Schuerger Masses and celebrations
Fr. Tony will be at St. Malachi on April 20 and 21 to preside at two Masses prior to assuming his new assignment from the Diocese. The Masses are Saturday, April 20 at 4:00 PM and Sunday, April 21 at 10:00 AM. Both Masses will be followed by a special celebration with guests, music, food and fellowship provided by the Hospitality committee in the Hall.

*Sharon Lowe Chapman- Malachi Run Update

Registration was up 36% and the two races had 3,300 participants. The sponsorship increased by 20% this year. The 8:00 AM Mass was well attended, runners were served delicious post race snacks and awards were presented. The Malachi Run is a huge event every spring that brings attention to St. Malachi Church and raises an abundance of funds for our ministries on the Near West Side.

*Father Gurnick- Administrator’s Report
– Rectory process is still ongoing and will be finalized soon. More information will be available at the Annual Meeting on April 14.
–  All Parish buildings including the Malachi Center are being evaluated for usage, viability and need as we move forward with our plan to form a collaboration with St. Patrick Church.

NEXT PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING: Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 6:30 PM in St. Malachi Meeting Room

 

Respectfully submitted,

Jan Durkalski
St. Malachi Parish Pastoral Council Secretary

 

 

St. Malachi Parish Pastoral Council Meeting Minutes

March 5, 2024, 6:30-8:30 PM, Parish Meeting Room

Attendance: Fr. Gurnick, Judy Slivka, Cathy Graham, Jan Durkalski, Jackie Krejcik, Sharon Lowe-Chapman, Mike Pellegrino, Peter Toomey, Jeanette Shemo, Charlene McElwee

Opening Prayer: Peter Toomey
Jan Durkalski- Report from the work of the Collaborative Steering Committee

*February 7, 2024   Meeting to determine titles, purpose and composition of the Collaborative Work Groups.
Discussion of plans for Town Hall; Mass, hospitality, communication, presentation, current model will continue in the Learning Phase, after launching the Explore & Recommend Phase at Town Hall.
*February 13, 2024   CSC continued discussions from our Retreat to discern and determine the Mission, Core Values, Strategic Direction and Strategic Goals of the St. Malachi/St. Patrick Collaborative Strategic Parish Alignment.
*Town Hall, Wednesday, February 18, 2024
-CSC expressed gratitude for the Hospitality committee and cooperation for serving dinner to the 100 plus parishioners of St. Malachi and St. Patrick. CSC regrets that they could not live stream or record the Town Hall.
-Presentations were made by Fr. Gurnick, Pat Masterson, Stephanie Williams, Jan Durkalski, Henry Speier and Joe Boehm.

-Collaborative Work Groups were explained and parishioners were urged to respond in person to the CSC members, on the paper supplied on each table or to the Collaborative web address with their information if they are interested in volunteering to serve.
– The presentations were followed by a Q & A with the audience. Questions and concerns were discussed in person, while some parishioners opted to submit on the paper provided and via CSC web address.

-A number of parishioners from both parishes have volunteered for the different work groups and the CSC Exec committee has been contacting the individuals to confirm their participation.

Next steps: Work Groups Launch, Saturday, March 9, 2024 at an all day Retreat, 8:00 AM -4:00 PM

Father Gurnick- Malachi Center

The Diocese has verified that St. Malachi Parish owns the St. Malachi Center building and land parcel. The immediate repair of the roof from winter roof damage has been approved. The legal department at the Diocese has begun the process of creating a lease agreement.

Judy Slivka- Annual St. Malachi Parish Meeting
The Annual Meeting will be held in the Hall on Sunday April 14, 2024 following 10:00 AM Mass. Topics decided by Council members; What is An Oratory?, Finance Report, Mother Teresa Ministry and more. The Hospitality committee is providing a light meal. The committee is exploring procedures for recording and/or live streaming.

Judy Slivka- Ministerial Leadership Meeting
The Ministerial Leadership Meeting was a success! Leaders and volunteers of the Ministries of St. Malachi participated in a prayer service and provided input into the collaboration with St. Patrick Parish.

Cathy Graham- Nominating Committee for openings on Parish Pastoral Council
Cathy Graham, Bill Meany, Jeff Walter and Matt Hils are representatives of the Nominating Committee. They are reaching out to parishioners to consider running for positions on Parish Pastoral Council. The nominating process continues through the end of March. There are 4 open seats for three year terms and 1 open seat for a two year term on the Council this year.
Fr. Gurnick- As Fr. Tony Schuerger awaits his new assignment of a position in the Cleveland Diocese, the Parish Council will plan to host an event to honor Fr. Tony for his 25 years of service to St. Malachi Parish. Tentative plans will include Mass(es) followed by an event in the Hall.

Charlene McElwee– Holy Thursday Mass is at 7:00 PM. It will be followed by our church remaining open for Veneration of the Blessed Sacrament until 11:00 PM. There will be visitors that are participating in a Night Hike that may visit our church during that time. Additional staff and parish volunteers are needed to keep the church open and safe. Passion of the Lord is on Good Friday at 3:00 PM. Holy Saturday Vigil Mass at 8:30 PM at St. Malachi will be a collaborative Mass with St. Patrick Parish. There will be four parishioners receiving sacraments as part of the RCIA program at Holy Saturday Mass and a celebration will follow in the Hall.  Easter morning Mass is at 10:00 AM with coffee hour following in the Hall.

Sharon Lowe Chapman- Malachi Run Update

Registration is continuing to rise and more registrations are expected. A new feature is a CANNED GOODS DRIVE in association with the Race. There is 8:00 AM Mass before the race. VOLUNTEERS are still needed for many positions, before the race and day of the race. Details are in the bulletin.

Father Gurnick- Administrator’s Report

– Rectory sale has been reviewed at the Diocese and has additional steps before the process is completed.
–  An engineering study and assessment of St. Malachi Church and surrounding property has been approved and a company has been hired to examine our buildings and properties before construction begins on the planned building on the south side of the church on the County Engineers lot. This information will be useful as a benchmark for the condition of our facility and property in the event that any untoward damages occur.

– Fr. Gurnick shared information on the Diocesan wide initiative “Keeping the Faith” regarding creating a strategic plan is to support and strengthen the Catholic schools within our area. Fr. Gurnick will attend a meeting regarding this initiative, along with 7-8 other parishes, mostly on the near West Side. There is more information on this Diocesan initiative on the Diocese of Cleveland website.

Closing Prayer: Charlene McElwee

Next parish pastoral council meeting: Tuesday, April 2, 2024, 6:30 PM in St. Malachi Meeting Room

Respectfully submitted,

Jan Durkalski,  St. Malachi Parish Pastoral Council Secretary

 

Consider serving our Parish by being a member of council. Commitment is to attend 10 monthly meetings throughout the year (August through June), serving on one council project and staying for three Chat with Council Coffee Hours. It’s a critical time for our Parish as we determine our collaboration with St. Patrick’s as an oratory.

If interested in serving or would like to nominate another parishioner – email cathy.g@stmalachi.org or speak to Cathy Graham, Matt Hils, William Meaney or Jeff Walters. Nominations open until April 7th, with elections beginning at the Annual Meeting on April 14th. We have 5 positions to fill.

February 6, 2024, 6:30-8:30 PM, Parish Meeting Room

Attendance: Fr. Gurnick, Judy Slivka, Cathy Graham, Jan Durkalski, Margaret Armstead, Matt Hils, Jackie Krejcik, Sharon Lowe-Chapman, Mike Pellegrino, Peter Toomey, Jeff Walters, Charlene McElwee

Opening Prayer: Jackie Krejcik
*Jan Durkalski- Report from the work of the Collaborative Steering Committee
-Meeting, 1/3/24- Guest Cathy Graham, shared and reviewed information collected during Strategic Planning regarding oratory churches. Guest Fr. Yanus shared information regarding the process of unification of St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Emeric Parishes. Fr. Yanus provided information on the definition of oratory and the inclusion of specific requests to the Bishop for inclusion in the decree.
-Meeting, 1/4/24- Zoom interview with administrative director of a Chicago mission church, and the decree and transition that has been successfully evolving over the last 3 years.
-Meeting, 1/17/24- In depth discussion of the book, Divine Renovation by Fr. James Mallon.  The book byline is, Bringing your parish from maintenance to mission. We discussed strengths, talents, treasures and positive aspects of both parishes.
-Retreat, 1/27-1/28- Prayerful and spiritual gathering of the CSC with Fr. Gurnick and facilitator Rosie Dolan Baker. We began the process of collaboratively writing a Purpose, Vision and Mission for the unified St. Malachi and St. Patrick parishes. The CSC set up the design and plan for the Collaborative Work Groups which will assist in the decisions to be made prior to crafting the plan for unification. This work will be shared in more detail at the Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at St. Malachi. Mass begins at 5:30 PM in the church, followed by a light supper in the Hall. The Town Hall Meeting will begin at 7:00 PM when the CSC will share additional information and plans.
*Jackie Krejcik- Lenten Series- A Synodal Process for Eucharistic Renewal

This will be held on four Sundays during Lent after 10:00 AM Mass in the Hall. Attendance at all four sessions is not necessary. Flyers with additional details are in our bulletin. This was planned and scheduled following analysis of a survey of parishioners. We will meet to reflect, explore, learn, renew and pray.

*Sharon Lowe Chapman- Malachi Run Update

Registration is up 35% and the two races could have 3,000 participants. VOLUNTEERS are still needed for many positions, before the race and day of the race. Details are in the bulletin. There will be a CANNED GOODS DRIVE in association with the Race. There is 8:00 AM Mass before the race.

*Judy Slivka- Ministerial Leadership Meeting
Saturday, February 24 in the Hall from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  The leaders and volunteers of the Ministries of St. Malachi will have a prayer service and have an opportunity to work and plan together for the success of our ministries.

*Judy Slivka- Annual St. Malachi Parish Meeting
The Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday April 14, 2024 following 10:00 AM Mass. Council members were asked to serve on the planning committee.

*Cathy Graham- Nominating Committee for Openings on Parish Pastoral Council
Cathy requested volunteers from the Council to serve as additional representatives for the Nominating Committee to reach out to parishioners to consider running for positions on Parish Pastoral Council. The nominating process continues through the end of March. There are 5-6 open seats on the Council this year.

*Margaret Armstead- Black Catholic Women
Margaret shared information on this organization led by Sister Jane Nesmith, SBS.  Sister Jane is also the director of the African American Ministry for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Margaret is an ambassador for this organization and attends Masses at churches throughout Cleveland to distribute information and flyers.

*Father Gurnick- Administrator’s Report
– Rectory process is still ongoing and will be determined in the next few months.
–  An engineering study and assessment of St. Malachi Church and surrounding property will be scheduled prior to the beginning of construction of the planned building on the south side of the church on the County Engineers lot. This information will be useful as a benchmark for the condition of our facility and property in the event that any untoward damages occur.

– Fr. Gurnick shared information on the Diocesan wide initiative “Keeping the Faith”. The purpose of the strategic plan is to strengthen the system of elementary Catholic education to keep irresistibly Catholic, academically excellent, operationally sound and geographically accessible schools where demand exists. Although we do no longer operate a school, St. Malachi is included in this initiative with 7-8 other parishes in the city, mostly on the near West Side. There is more information on this Diocesan initiative on the Diocese of Cleveland website.

-Fr. Gurnick shared that Eucharistic Ministers may be needed to assist in the near future at Metro Health and Fairview Hospitals.

Closing Prayer: Peter Toomey

NEXT PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING: Tuesday, March 6, 2024, 6:30 PM in St. Malachi Parish Meeting Room

 Respectfully submitted,

Jan Durkalski, St. Malachi Parish Pastoral Council Secretary

 

Parish Council wants to hear from you! Please join us in the back of the church this Saturday after Mass or Sunday in the hall for coffee hour. Parish Council members are eager to hear what is on your mind about St. Malachi Parish. Please bring ideas, concerns and questions with you (or simply say hello).