Quezon City, Philippines. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of Fr. BERNARDO T. BLANCO, CMF, who departed this life at 1:02 AM on March 10, 2025, at the Diliman Doctors Hospital in Quezon City.
We humbly ask you to remember him in your prayers.
Eternal rest grant unto Fr. Blanco, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Fr. Bernardo was born on November 20, 1927, in Ceadea de Aliste, Zamora, Spain. At a young age, he entered the Congregation and made his first profession on July 16, 1946, in Salvatierra, Alava, Spain. He made his Final Vows on July 16, 1949, in Beire, Navarra, Spain. He was ordained on May 3, 1953, in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Logroño, Spain.
Fr. Blanco began to discern his calling to the priesthood at the young age of ten. By twelve, he entered the Claretian Seminary in Segovia to pursue his secondary education. He continued his academic journey in Philosophy in Beire, Navarra, and studied Theology at the Colegio Mayor in Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
Following his ordination, he was assigned to Equatorial Guinea in Africa for his first missionary assignment, departing in 1954 alongside Fr. Jose María Viñas. Together, they dedicated twenty-two years to pastoral ministry and the formation of seminarians in Banapá.
In 1968, fourteen years after Fr. Blanco’s arrival, Equatorial Guinea underwent significant political turmoil, leading to a dictatorship that severely restricted religious practices. In 1976, Fr. Blanco and fifty-two other foreign priests and two hundred foreign nuns were expelled from the country. He returned to Spain and waited for a new assignment for seven months before being sent to the Philippines.
Upon his arrival in the Philippines on February 25, 1977, he was assigned to Bolong, Zamboanga City, where he worked alongside Fr. Eugenio Perez, CMF. Fr. Blanco dedicated himself to youth ministry and promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Fr. Blanco was later assigned to the Claretian Missions in Basilan, where he served as the Parish Priest of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Maluso. In this role, he also attended to the needs of the surrounding Christian and Muslim communities. On March 18, 1993, he was kidnapped by Muslim extremists affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf. He endured 49 days of captivity before bravely seizing an opportunity to escape, ultimately regaining his freedom, an event that attracted international attention. His resilience and faith during this ordeal were widely acknowledged.
In 1994, after a brief visit to Rome and Spain, he was appointed Spiritual Director at the Claretian Seminary in Quezon City. He later transitioned to Claret Theology, initially serving as Local Superior and subsequently as Spiritual Director. Additionally, he contributed to the spiritual formation of Claretian institutions in Quezon City while also serving as spiritual director for several women’s religious communities.
Fr. Bernardo Blanco, CMF, faced expulsion and abduction, yet he remained unwavering in his missionary commitment. His deep devotion to the Blessed Mother gave him the fortitude necessary to navigate the numerous challenges he faced throughout his life. Fr. Blanco passed away in the early hours of March 10, 2025, at the Diliman Doctors Hospital in Quezon City, at the age of 97. Muchísimas Gracias, Padre Blanco.
