Thank you, Father Paul. Godā??s speed

It's time to say good-bye.

And we have no idea how.

Nor do we want to.

We are talking about the upcoming departure of Father Paul McDonnell for a position with his beloved Oblates of St. Joseph order in California, as explained in detail in a story on page 3.

Father Paul, as he's come to be known, has a presence in Greater Pittston that is impossible to fill.

Since his ordination in 1991, Father Paul has touched thousands of lives in both big and small ways.

From spearheading the campaign that resulted in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Center on William Street, to re-energizing the Oblates of St. Joseph Seminary in Laflin, to every baptism, wedding, funeral and celebration of the Mass, Father Paul has given his all to do what he set out to do when becoming a priest: to love his people.

And he has gone about his mission with a smile on his face and a gentle manner, a clever quip with which to disarm you, followed by a clearly stated message from the Gospel to set you straight.

Father Paul never passed up an opportunity to make us laugh. But he likewise never passed up an opportunity to challenge us to live our faith – to walk the straight and narrow, to find the best in one another, to forgive each other, and to love, always to love.

And he taught his message as much by example as by rhetoric, his faith evident in his every action.

We must say we are envious of the people of California who are about to experience what we have enjoyed the past 22 years. They are so lucky.

And so are we, when all is said and done.

Lucky to have had not just the pleasure of Father Paul's company, but also the good fortune to have encountered him along our individual spiritual journeys.

No, we cannot say good-bye.

So, instead we'll say simply thank you.

Father Paul, you left Greater Pittston better than you found it and we are most grateful.

We wish you God's speed in the hope that He may one day lead you back to us. Until then, you will be in our prayers as we know all of us will be in yours.