Recently Departed Carmelite Priests and Brothers (continued)
The Reverend Rocco DiLeonardi, O.Carm.,
died in Joliet, IL, on Saturday,
December 4, 2004, at the Joliet Area
Community Hospice.
Visitation for Fr. Rocco DiLeonardi,
O.Carm., was held at the National
Shrine of St. Therese, in Darien, on
Tuesday, December 7, with a Mass of
Christian Burial that evening. Burial
took place at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in
Chicago, on Wednesday, December 8.
Rocco was born in Chicago, on June 11, 1931. He was the
son of the late Rocco and Rose (Capece) DiLeonadri. He had
one brother, Frank.
After grade school, he enrolled at Quigley Preparatory
Seminary. He completed his high school studies at Mt. Carmel
Prep Seminary in Niagara Falls, Ont. He professed his vows to
the Carmelite Order in 1953. He was ordained a priest in
Washington, D.C., on Dec 8, 1956.
Following ordination, Fr. DiLeonardi, served at St.
Mary’s parish in Joliet, IL and then on to St. Leo’s parish in
Pittsburgh, PA. Fr. Rocco who received bachelor’s degrees in
both Philosophy, and Theology also completed his Masters
degree in Religious Studies and was proficient in both French
and Latin languages. That led to his twenty years of service as
formator and teacher.
In 1959 Fr. Rocco worked in formation at Infant of Prague
in Akron, OH. Four years later he started his teaching career at
the former Joliet Catholic, in Joliet, IL, then on to Salpointe
High School in Tucson, AZ, and finally DeSales High School in
Louisville, KY.
While in Kentucky, Fr. Rocco also became a member, and
later President of the Foreign Language Association of the
Archdiocese of Louisville, and a member of the Executive
Council of the Senate of Religious. Fr. Rocco also assisted in
formation seminary work at Carmel Hall in Milwaukee, WI, and
later served in spiritual ministry at the Carmelite Spiritual Center
in Darien, before going on to his final assignment as a counselor
at Joliet Catholic Academy in Joliet. In 2000, Fr. Rocco retired
from active ministry and was living at the St. Elias Priory in Joliet.
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