Pope Francis has named a Pennsylvania cleric to succeed Nelson Pérez as bishop of Cleveland

Bishop Edward Malesic of Greensburg, Pa., will succeed Pérez, who was named archbishop of Philadelphia in February.

by Associated Press, The Associated Press

Updated Jul. 16, 2020, 10:24 a.m. ET

Published Jul. 16, 2020, 7:10 a.m. ET

CLEVELAND — Cleveland’s nearly 683,000 Roman Catholics on Thursday will meet their new shepherd after Pope Francis named a Pennsylvania cleric to become the diocese’s 12th bishop, the diocese announced.

Bishop Edward Malesic of Greensburg, Pa., will succeed Archbishop Nelson Pérez, who was named archbishop of Philadelphia in February. Malesic will be introduced during a morning news conference.

The Cleveland diocese serves nearly 683,000 Catholics.

Malesic, 59, became bishop of the Greensburg diocese in southwest Pennsylvania in July 2015. It is home to nearly 138,000 Catholics.

Malesic has been a priest for 33 years, serving in various positions in parishes in Pennsylvania.

He announced an initiative in 2019 to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, according to the diocese.

Father Don Oleksiak will continue serving as diocesan administrator until Malesic’s installation Mass on Sept. 14, the Cleveland diocese said.