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Pope Francis recalled the death of a priest who has regularly been hearing his confession in recent times, saying he was a "man of counsel."
The Pope spoke of Franciscan Father Manuel Blanco after praying today's midday Angelus. As he was asking prayers for the end of war, he noted that he had seen a flag of Israel: "Today I saw it [the flag] on the balcony of your house when I was coming from the Church of the Santi Quaranta Martiri."
The Holy Father mentioned the church again, adding:
The day before yesterday, Father Manuel Blanco, a Franciscan who had lived in the Church of Santi Quaranta Martiri e San Pasquale Baylon in Rome for 44 years, passed away. He was a superior, a confessor, a man of counsel. In remembering him, I would like to remember so many Franciscan brothers, confessors, preachers, who honored and honor the Church of Rome. Thanks to all of them!
The Pope traveled in person to the priest's Roman parish in Trastevere this Sunday morning to pray before his remains.
Father Blanco was 85 years old. The Franciscans noted that he had served in many roles during his long priesthood, including "most recently as confessor to Pope Francis."
“We thank the Giver of all good for everything he gave us during the life of Brother Manuel, including the inevitable weaknesses which remain entrusted to the inexhaustible mercy of God,” wrote Brother Massimo Fusarelli, the minister general of the Franciscans, in a letter addressed from Marseille, where he is visiting, to the brothers of the Province of the Immaculate Conception in Spain, to which Brother Manuel Blanco was attached.
A pope of confession
Pope Francis is a tireless promoter of the sacrament of confession, and often gives advice to priests on how to carry out the ministry of confessor.
For example, he began the initiative "24 Hours for the Lord," in which churches around the world stay open for 24 hours during Lent, so that the faithful can receive the sacrament of confession at literally any time of the day.
