In Angela's Ashes, why does Frank pray to St. Francis?

This part of this incredible autobiography occurs in
Chapter Seventeen, when the narrator becomes burdened by his many sins which have
reached their climax after he hit his mother because of her relations with her cousin,
Laman Griffin, with whom they live. He feels he is a complete sinner and has no hope of
salvation so he goes to the church in tears and feeling that St. Francis is no help.
Clearly one of the reasons why he feels a special connection with St. Francis is the way
that they share the same name. However, also let us remember that it is the priest that
encourages to confess his "sins" to St. Francis rather than to confess his sins in a
formal confession. Thus it is that Frank tells St. Francis about what is oppressing him
so and is able to unburden himself of all his guilt:

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I talk to St. Francis and tell him about
Margaret, Oliver, Eugene, my father singing Roddy McCorley and bringing home no money,
my father sending no money from England, Theresa nad the green sofa, my terrible sins on
Carrigogunnell, why couldn't they hang Hermann Goering for what he did to the little
children with shoes scattered around concentration camps, the Christian Brother who
closed the door in my face, the time they wouldn't let me be an altar boy, my small
brother Michael walking up the lane with the broken shoe clacking, my bad eyes that I'm
ashamed of, the Jesuit brother who closed the door in my face, the tears in Mam's eyes
when I slappped her.

It is
interesting that this moment in the play is actually able to give Frank some measure of
relief, as he receives absolution and is encouraged to believe that Theresa is actually
in heaven and that she is happy "with the cough gone." Thus Frank prays to St. Francis
both because he has this saint's name and also because he is urged to by the
priest.