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A pastor on Staten Island has known Pope Francis for more than 30 years
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Father Hernan Paredes attended a seminary school in Argentina that was headed by none other than the Pope himself. Fox Eyes' Meredith Gorman talked to the pastor
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about their friendship. A Staten Island priest has fond memories of Pope Francis
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and the relationship that they shared for decades. I was his friend and he was my good friend until
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then. Father Hernan Paredes of Our Lady of Mark Carmel, Saint Benedicta, Saint Mary of the
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Assumption, first met Pope Francis when he was a young priest, and the late Pope, then known as Jorge
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Bergoglio, was his superior at seminary school in Argentina. The two formed a bond and stayed close
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over the decades since, and Father Paredes shared with me what he remembers most about his friend
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His partner playing dominoes his great sense of humor and Pope Francis incredible cooking skills He used to cook every other week for the whole community and he made delicious tortellini soup Since he was Italian some sort of immigrants so tortellini soup was the best for me
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He tells me that Pope Francis was always a man of action and of the people, which you could see
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even on his final day alive on Easter Sunday, making an appearance on the balcony. Father
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Peretti's describing the late Pope as a man who liked to pray and play, but also someone who will
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be forever remembered for the mercy that he showed others. I will say that he was doing his work and
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he was living his beautiful life until the very end, living as a simple person and a person that
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is not different from the others. The two kept in touch over the years through letters and visits
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And Father Preddy says he is so grateful for the time that he spent with the Pope, even living together in Argentina
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Meredith Gorman, Fox 5 News
