Goodbye Father!

As of February 17th our priest, Father Jon, is leaving us to go to a much bigger parish. I would give just about anything for it not to happen, but I guess it must be. It struck me the other day that the two people over the last few years who came over to dinner quite often were my brother Rick who passed away in December and Father Jon. This is so difficult, but there are many things to be thankful for. The fact that he wasn't taken away before my brother died (because he helped me through that so well), that the school my kids attend (with 35 kids in K-6) still has a fighting chance for survival, and that I am much more well read in the faith than before I knew him are all things I am grateful for. The fact that I very seldom miss daily Mass, go to Confession at least every other week, do a holy hour each day and pray the Liturgy of the Hours, are all because of Father's influence. Tuesday at the Holy Hour we prayed the Rosary and it was the most beautiful one I have ever heard. Father says it really slow and with a meditation in the middle of the Hail Mary. We are losing a truly great priest.