Am Mijares

Fr. Francisco Sánchez Abellán

"He was a saint and a wise man."

On January 8, 2009, Fr. Francisco, a priest focolarino from Murcia, Spain, reached the Heavenly Mariapolis. He was 72.

 

He met the Movement through the Marist Brothers when he was studying at the Pontifical University of Salamanca. He was a doctor of classical languages and a specialist of "theology of the arts."

In the different parishes in which he lent his services, he gave life to lively communities. His heart and his home were always open. Many are those who through the concrete love of Fr. Paco—as he was known—met the Ideal, and have now become cornerstones of the Movement in Murcia.

After two years in the school of formation for priests in Frascati, near Rome, during the 1970s, he was responsible for the formation of priests and seminarians interested in the spirituality of unity. "He was a saint and a sage," recalled a Salesian father.

This was his word of life: "Announce … all that the Lord in his pity has done for you" (see Mk 5:19). A priest said about him: "I couldn't explain the strenghtening of my vocation since I was in the seminary and especially during my first years of priesthood without his example and his great wisdom. He was a teacher: he didn't give lessons, but with his life, he led us to God. The bishop of Murcia loved to say that even if Fr. Paco was ill, he was the one who most helped him. He used to entrust to him those priests going through difficult moments." Still another priest said, "One day I wanted to apologize for the times I had been late, but he reassured me, 'Don't apologize. We want to love you, not judge you.' I've always remembered this phrase."

Due to his illness, in recent years, he had to have blood transfusions every week. It was an exhausting trial for him, but he continued to meet with priests and welcome everyone. "In this moment, I'm interested only in what brings me the perfume of God," he confided. To someone who asked him if he ever felt like rebelling because of his illness, he responded, "I can't rebel: I take it from the hands of God." Others have also said about him: "How many times after hearing his words, I went back home feeling happy, ready to continue to love, with clear ideas and with no doubts?"

Fr. Paco's health deteriorated even more during the convention of seminarians in Castelgandolfo. We believe he contributed with his offering to the graces received those days.

At his funeral the church was packed. the Mass was concelebrated by the bishop and 70 priests, many of who had met the Ideal through him. In his homily, the presider underlined his passion for the spirituality of unity, which transpired from his profound union with God.

Jose Luis Romero

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