Before meeting the Lord and discovering his priestly vocation, he thought that happiness came from having a ball at his feet, like so many young men in his country. His father, Vincent, was not very religious. His mother was more so and taught him the basics of the faith from an early age, although the Church did not appeal to him at all. But that Mass changed everything. He could hear God speaking to him.
Then, he began to take the Christian life seriously. He started going to Mass more often. He entered a Chrism course, received the sacrament of Confirmation and began to help in the parish as a catechist and preacher in a prayer group.
Little by little he discovered that it was Jesus Christ who gave fullness to his life and made him truly happy. Until then he had never considered his priestly vocation, but his pastoral work in the parish made him realize that the people needed shepherds.
"I had a deep conversation with my parish priest and began my vocational journey. After two years of participating in vocational meetings, I discerned my priestly vocation and my path to happiness. To make Jesus Christ known and to make people friends of God is the mission I hope to carry out throughout my life".
After studying philosophy at the Pontifical University of Rio de Janeiro, his bishop sent him to finish his studies at the Bidasoa International Seminary and in the Faculties of Ecclesiastical Studies of the University of Navarra. There he had the opportunity to experience the richness of the Universal Church, living with seminarians from different countries. "It is like living a new Pentecost.
For Franklyn, Bidasoa is a blessing for his priestly formation. He received a very good formation that allowed him to grow in friendship with Christ and to mature in his priestly vocation.
As Pope Francis says, we are living through a "change of epoch". Many young people are distanced from God and the Church. "If we want to foster priestly vocations," says Franklyn, "it is imperative that the people pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers. Priests must witness to the beauty of the priestly vocation. A priest of the 21st century must be first and foremost a friend of Christ, who witnesses, with his life, to his love for the Church and for souls".
In Brazil, secularization and the irruption of Protestantism threaten the life of the Catholic Church. "Today more than ever, the Church has the obligation to announce the good news of Jesus Christ, to promote the encounter of young people with the Person of Jesus, so that they may discover in Him the sure path to happiness". In the face of secularization, Franklyn proposes to live the faith as witnesses of the Risen One and, in the face of Protestantism, to present the truth of the faith.
"The most important apostolic needs of Rio de Janeiro are: the personal conversion of each Christian and, from there, to promote an evangelization that presents all the richness and truth that Jesus Christ entrusted to the Catholic Church".
