"Forgetta 'bout It - From Mafia to Ministry" by Rocco Morelli
as Interviewed by Bonita Lee Penn, The Soul Pitt
Question? Why does it seem people are more interested in the wrongs of your past, than the good of your present?
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Rocco Morelli, originally from
New Kensington ,
PA. Rocco Morelli, who was being groomed to be a "made man", a mob-associate involved in illegal drugs, money laundering and budding hit man; his past. His present: A changed man, the founder of Rocco Morelli Ministries International, an organization based in Florida, established to bring the life changing Word of God to those most in need. His Outreach programs reach out to inmates in prisons, our at-risk youth, those in search of recovery from addictions and their families.
You may assume Rocco Morelli is a man of strength and convictions, having been weaned on the mafia code.
To know the true triumphs of Rocco Morelli, you have to read his book "Forgetta bout It - From Mafia to Ministry." Let's say it has a better ending than The Godfather. His book will touch you, as his words, faith in God and good deeds to help others has touched me. The conversations shared with Rocco only confirmed my faith and belief in God, in the power of prayer and the bountiful blessings awaiting us when we give ourselves to Him.
He spoke his words clearly. The warmth in his voice conveyed a sense of comfort, trust and understanding, which immediately put me at ease. It was as though I've known him longer than the few times I've spoken to him on the telephone. He had a sense of calmness in all that he said, he had a genuine laugh and a mannerism that if need be, you could believe he'd be your bridge over troubled waters. I'll admit for me, a person who has little trust in strangers, I felt completely at ease. Think of it, Rocco isn't any person, this is a man who has lived the life we've watched played out in gangster movies. He never once gave the vibe of being someone you'd need to back away from, slowly.
His spirit shines with the inner glow you gain from living in the truth of the Word; the number one reason Rocco Morelli's life story is such a powerful testimony. His life was changed because he surrendered his life to God.
The idea to write "Forgetta bout It - From Mafia to Ministry" came to Mr. Morelli years after being released from prison. While traveling in the mid-90s, evangelizing in churches, Full Gospel Business Men's meetings, and prisons, he constantly crossed paths with a variety of people involved in ministry who were touched by his testimony, and they encouraged him to put it on paper, especially his good friend, Florence Biros. With the additional encouragement and support of his wife, Christine and others, it eventually became "Forgetta bout It - From Mafia to Ministry."
Through his testimony Mr. Morelli, tells his story of growing up in
New Kensington ,
PA. A town back in the day known as "Little Chicago", reflecting the area's mafia connection. He recalls how his mother noticed he was being pulled in the wrong direction and every chance she could, she turned to prayer and to friends to hold him up in their prayers. She even took him to Kathryn Kuhlman's services, which were held in
Pittsburgh for prayer. She continually had her friends say special prayers of deliverance for Rocco.
Rocco's parents wanted him to become a lawyer. But after discovering his family heritage, Rocco had different plans, going from a playboy musician and fence (the guy who moves stolen goods for a profit) at 15, to somehow becoming a cop at 19, a private detective, politician, and onto the big money business of the underworld, cocaine.
On the surface Rocco was a successful businessman. A notary and tax service and a detective agency are just a few of his businesses. He was even in the process of becoming a State Constable. But behind the scenes he was involved in illegal activities spanning from
Pittsburgh to
New York . The FBI dubbed him the "Wall Street Gangster" in description of his business aptitude.
Remember the old saying "all good things must come to an end?" Well Rocco's good life hit a brick wall, the walls of the penitentiary. Rocco was arrested as part of the Pizza Connection for drug trafficking.
While being released on bail and awaiting his trial, Rocco encountered a different kind of arrest. On the fateful evening which changed his life, Rocco was to do a hit on his then partner, Tony (who had turned snitch). His mother's prayers were answered that night. The intervention, a friend gave him tickets to a gospel meeting. He didn't go through with the hit. Instead Rocco was hit by the Holy Spirit and received Christ, which saved Tony's life and changed Rocco's life forever.
Before he could start this new life, he had to pay his dues to society. At his trial, Rocco was sentenced to prison. It was inside, faced with solitude and nothing but time, he was forced to stand still long enough to listen, to truly listen to God s voice. While serving his time he started his prison ministry. It took him less than four months to get his soul together. He started by participating in several Bible correspondence classes. He opened up and started to share his personal testimony with outside ministries. His testimony was so powered and it touched so many. He was asked to take part in a Tele-a-thon, organized by Cornerstone TV. This was the first time in the prison's history the Warden gave his permission to allow Rocco to give his testimony on live TV from inside.
The night of the Tele-a-Thon there was an overwhelming number of calls to the Prayer Line from other inmates and ex-offenders who were searching for answers. This is when his ministry took flight. Even though he was doing the Lord's work the devil was always near. Tony, his ex-partner and hit target was transferred to the same prison as Rocco. Many of the prisoners knew of their history and came up to Rocco offering their services to take care of Tony. Rocco remembered Romans 12:19 [Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written. "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.] At this time not many people knew Rocco had already approached Tony and told him he had forgiven him. Nonetheless, there were still prisoners willing to do him in for what they felt was a wrong done to Rocco. Rocco knowing Tony's life was in danger went to the Warden and asked him to transfer Tony to another facility.
