“A friend and a saint to pray”

Dibora Castiliano – the Vatican city

“The father who was beside me will happen no matter …”

With these words, Adrián Pallarrols, a close friend of Pope Francis known as “Goldsmith”, remembers the late Pope in a recent interview with Vatican News.

Pope Francis married Adrian and his wife, who also baptized his children Francesca and Matteo.

The seventh generation Goldsmith is accustomed to meeting the bishop of Buens Aires regularly to talk about theology and art while he was running coffee and taking cookies prepared by the religious. In 2002, they met, while restoring the Buenos Aires Cathedral, and in 2005, they created a cup that would give Pope Benedict XVI at the time.

Cooperation has continued over the years. In 2015, Adrian made the cup used by the Holy Father during the Mass in the Madison Square park, in New York, and in 2022, the party’s cup for peace.

Coffee and talk

In Buenos Aires, Adrian recalls: “I used to knock on the door and ask:” Father, if it is free, if he has five minutes, I would like to have coffee with milk and chat a little. He used to say: “Well, wait five, fifteen or twenty minutes,” then we ate coffee and talked a little. He gave me a hug and prayed a little together.

Adrian Pallarls with Santo Badri Francisco (Adrian Palalles)

The meetings “used to be fast, but it was not, at any time, no, no,” because just as Bergulio used to say, “If you are here, that is because God says that you should be here, so let me see you. Tell me how you are and how the family is …”.

He gave me strength to confront today

The Holy Father insists on Adrian, “I changed my life and my healing. He treated me as a brother, father, friend. He helped me build a better life -especially with the knowledge that, because of some family palaces, there were parts of my life that were not complete -the blessing was, thanks to the time of age, protection and protection.”

“He gave me the power to be faced every day. I have become a father and I have been able to lead a simple life, full of love and joy – with difficulties, like everyone – but thanks to the evidence of this man, who, for the grace of Jesus, through God, through my path.”

Gold Bob next to the Holy Father Francisco

Blessed we are between bricks and dust

At the concrete level, Adrian also reflects how his workshop started in Buenos Aires.

“He came in the middle of anywhere, because the building was only blocs and dust because it was under construction”, but it was “unhappy.” The Holy Father blessed all his work, as well as the workers and “pray for me, to be a sacred beginning, with the help of God.”

Bergolio, Adrian, admitted “very present” to make him feel very lucky to meet him.

When thinking about providing his respect for the late Pope in Rome, The Goldsmith is reflected on how to honor my friend, my father, a shepherd, my family, “a very loved person for him after I met him for” nearly 28 years. “

After invented a responsible medal in 1998, Adrian remembers how Pope Francis did not stop, “He never stopped asking me about what he needs for celebrations.” However, Pallarols makes a memory of his emotion when his friend gave him the news that he was elected as the Pope, “Adrian, I will stay here, in Rome.”

“My son, don’t forget how much I love you.”

“Pope Francis used to contact me on my cell phone from time to time, even when I was very busy. His words when we finished talking were “my son, even when I cannot be in contact, please don’t forget how much I love you.”

With the heart, sorry, but relieves his memories, Adrian expressed his love for the late Pope and for the certainty that Francisco is now in peace, with God, his father.

“Now”, he concludes to the Pope’s gold, “I know that I have a true friend and a sanctuary to pray when I deal with difficulties, when I need someone to mediate before God for me.”