Goodbye Father Rocco!

Well I had heard "rumors" of the Father of our church leaving and I didn't want to believe it....but it was sadly confirmed today by the director of  our church's preschool (were you able to follow that??).  She spoke of how she just broke down crying when she found out.
Yes, Father Rocco's official last day here is June 29th.  I say this with a very heavy heart because I have attended many many churches throughout my life, and there really isn't anyone like Father Rocco.  He's so awesome, funny, professional...need I go on?
He's really the only Father of a church that my kids know!  Back when they were 3 years old and in preschool, they would go to the church with Miss Terri and Miss Mary and sit and talk with Father Rocco.  They would come home and tell me all about it!
I'll never forget the times my family would go up to the altar during the communion part of mass.  Father Rocco would always stand at the altar with one of the Deacons to give communion/blessings.  My family would always "sneak" into Father Rocco's line if we happened to sit on the "wrong" side of the church   (:  The kids would all receive communion and Armando and I would receive his blessing.  I'm really not exaggerating when I say that when he would put his hand on our heads to give us his blessing, we would literally "feel" it.  It was that powerful!
I know that his new church "family" is going to LOVE him!  Just like we do.
I guess our only consolation is that the church he's going to is only about 40 miles away...so it is possible to go to his mass at his new church for special occasions.
My family will really miss seeing his smiling face at church.
Goodbye Father Rocco.  We will miss you!  May God bless you always..