“The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but he who does the will of God lives forever.”
- 1 John 2:17
A crowd of 250 mourners, 8 pallbearers and the Honor Guard of the Knights of Columbus gathered as Rocco Calabretta was buried in his Knight‘s uniform, having been a Knight for 36 years. When speaking of her husband‘s Christian Funeral Mass of Thanksgiving on Saturday, May 21, Rose Calabretta joyfully remarked, “The funeral couldn’t have been better send-off even if it had even been for a pope!”
In 1951 Rocco graduated from Coraopolis High School with the reputation of being a fine football offensive tackle. He coached little league football and became the commissioner of the league. He served his country in the US Air Force for four years. Rocco and Rose were married 52 years. Rocco worked for 39 years as an ingot molder for Shenango Steel. He took under his wings neglected children from Holy Family Institute and cared for them. He was a daily communicant who greeted everyone at morning Mass with a "sunburst smile." Although the last several months of his journey were quite bumpy, it was a grace visit Rocco in hospitals and rehab centers and witness his undying faith. I recall that at my last visit with Rocco, he mentioned to me what a special and humbling privilege it was to distribute the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for over 35 years as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. He noted that he never felt any higher or closer to God!
When I arrived to St. Joseph three years ago, Rocco was one of the first persons to invite me to breakfast after Mass. He told me then that he was here to help and support me in every possible way. He was a former parish council president. He had great respect for the bishops and priests in our Church and sometimes he even prayed four rosaries before Mass began at 8:30 AM. It was fitting that on the night of his funeral, the Knights of Columbus sponsored a "Knight at the Races" in our cafeteria and many of his brother Knights commented to me there that Rocco was their mentor, model and example. Near the end of his life he had to give up being the treasurer for the Knights; his treasure now is in heaven.
Rocco was a fixture and pillar of our faith community for a long time. Whether spinning the wheel for our festival, cooking burgers for our picnic, assisting his wife with visitation to the sick, organizing Christmas gifts for needy families, sharing his hobby of photography with new brides or repairing as a handy-man at Twin Oaks Manor Condominiums, his spirit and dedication was unprecedented. He loved his Eucharistic Adoration at his 10:30 AM slot on Wednesdays.
Rocco was born in Clarksburg, WV. And since my brother Dan‘s wife, Kelly, is from Beckley, WV, I felt a closer bond with Rocco in understanding his mountaineer language. It seemed more than coincidental that the day of Rocco‘s funeral was an "Easter-like" day amidst the stormy season of April and May. God called him home on the birthday of Blessed John Paul II, calling him by name at 7:00 PM at UPMC Passavan Hospital in McCandless.
Rocco Calabretta Jr, was born on October 23, 1932 and died May 18, 2011. He was buried at Resurrection Cemetery next to his parents Rocco, Sr. and Anna. I must admit that before his passing it was inspiring to see him carry his own oxygen to daily Mass; nothing would keep him back from the Eucharist. Perhaps at times I was hoping against hope that this constant figure who sat near the fifth station, where Simon helps Jesus carry the cross, would return back in his pew. However, God had other plans and He called him to the eternal banquet in His Kingdom.
The prayer which I said at the cemetery interment seemed fitting, "As Rocco was nourished with Christ’s Body and Blood Here on earth, may Christ grant him a place at His table in His heavenly Kingdom.”
Rocco was a "God-fearing" man. He had reverence for his God and respect for everyone else. Rocco was a like a rock. He was always there -- steady, faithful, reliable and trustworthy. He enjoyed mixing and mingling with others and his passion for the Church gave him such life.
Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote, "It is not possible to live and grow in the faith without the support of a group, of a Christian community. It is here that you will learn together to build a better world.” The tremendous outpouring of people both at funeral or calling hours was a testimony of the countless lives Rocco touched.
As Rocco labored to catch his breath on his last day on earth, I thought of the anointing words of St. Maximillian Kolbe, "You must be prepared for periods of darkness, anxiety, doubts, fears, and of temptations that are sometimes very, very insistent, of sufferings of the body and, what is 100-fold more painful, of the soul…. If there were no trials, there would be no struggle. Without a struggle, victory would be impossible. And without victory, there is no crown, no reward.”
I‘ll keep in my breviary in loving remembrance his prayer card from the funeral home. May Rocco‘s rock-like faith encourage us to live our faith. His prayer card reads:
I’m free
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
Of friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah, yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life‘s been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times,
A loved one‘s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
Don‘t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.
