The funeral of Br. Manuel Blanco Rodríguez was celebrated on the 24th June at the Church of Forty Martyrs and St. Paschal Baylon in Rome. Present were Br. Joaquin Zurera Ribó, Minister Provincial of the Immaculate Conception Province of the BVM of Spain, Br. Jimmy Zammit and Br. Cesare Vaiani General Definitors, friars from different friaries in Rome, religious, family and friends of Br. Manuel.
In his homily, Br. Joaquin thanked the Father of Mercy because he found in Br. Manuel a generous and docile heart to carry out His mission: "He was able to enter into the mystery of love." the Provincial said, "and today we say goodbye to his body, aware of what he left us: the testimony of his life with the gifts that God gave him and that he was able to put at the service of others, leaving a trace of its passage in men and women he served"
"Great human, spiritual and intellectual qualities: he was a true Friar Minor, an intelligent man, studious, decisive and always accurate in his judgments and convictions on the questions of life itself," said Fr. Antonio de la Presilla, guardian of the fraternity and confrere in various friaries, after the Eucharist. The latter also recounted the journey he made and the various services he carried out, including: Minister Provincial, Guardian of various friaries, Visitor and Delegate of the Minister General in various entities of the Order, Vice-Rector, Dean and Professor of the Antonianum University.
Br. Manuel was also the confessor of Pope Francis, chosen as his confessor from the beginning of his Pontificate. "The day before yesterday, Father Manuel Blanco, a Franciscan who had lived for forty-four years in the Church of The Forty Martyrs and St. Paschal Baylon in Rome, passed away. He was superior, confessor, man of counsel. In remembering him, I would like to recall the many Franciscan brothers, confessors and preachers who have honoured and continue to honour the Church of Rome. Thank you to all of them!" said the Holy Father after the Angelus on the 23rd June. Br. Antonio recounted how on the same day the Holy Father presented himself at the funeral chapel of the friary, where he prayed together with the fraternity for the eternal rest of Br. Manuel; After Lauds, the Pope made a brief exhortation to the friars, highlighting some of the virtues of Br. Manuel: "humility, simplicity, brotherhood, being a Friar Minor, intelligence and acuteness of judgment."
On the Vatican News website, Michele Raviart and Benedetta Capelli also recounted this visit of Pope Francis to the friars of the fraternity of The Forty Martyrs and St. Paschal Baylon.
