My Dear Sisters and Brothers:

In last week's Watters' Edge I wrote about the painting, Mary Untier of Knots, that hangs in the Pilgrimage Church of St. Peter (Perlach Church) in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany.  The painting became important to Pope Francis while he was completing his doctoral dissertation in the late 1980's and has become well known through his promotion of the devotion to Mary under that unique title.

Now along comes a new book entitled Pope Francis: Untying the Knots by Paul Vallely which has been receiving rave reviews and accolades from every quarter.  The New Yorker has called it "indispensable;" The Guardian said it is "riveting;" and The Sunday Times announced that "in terms of seriousness of purpose and depth of understanding," it is "head and shoulders above" any other book published about Pope Francis.

Not long after Jorge Bergoglio was elected, Vallely went to Argentina and talked to as many people who knew the former archbishop of Buenos Aires as possible with the intent of writing a definitive work about "who he is and what we can expect from him" and his papacy.

In a talk he gave at the Ethics and Public Policy Center's Faith Forum Angle along with John Allen, Jr in South Beach, Florida, during the month of March, Vallely said that there are three things he wants us especially to note about the contents of the book. They are revelatory of who Pope Francis is and what we can look forward to in his role as Bishop of Rome.

First, Bergoglio's "style of religion" which he absorbed under the influence of his grandmother. Secondly, his "style of leadership which includes the topics of sin and humility." Finally, his relationship to the Vatican when he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires." In Vallely's view all three perspectives are having a major bearing on the shaping of Pope Francis' papacy.

For those who would like to delve into a truly fascinating book about Pope Francis I recommend, among the many books that have been published about him, this one written by Paul Vallely who is presently the Visiting Professor in Public Ethics and Media at the University of Chester in England. 

On another note, I want to thank Father Nick Penge, SJ who has been serving at St. Ignatius since last August. Father Nick will be returning to his country of Zambia this Monday, May 18.  For the past three years he has been a full-time student at Loyola University's Pastoral Counseling Center in Columbia, Maryland, where he has been pursuing a master's degree in counseling. This Saturday he will be receiving his degree at the University's graduation exercises. 

Though fully engaged in his studies, Father Nick set aside time to help pastorally whenever he was able. We all benefited from his liturgical celebrations and very insightful homilies. With much gratitude our parishioners join me in thanking him and wishing him well as he heads back to his native country and people. He will immediately take up the role of acting pastor at a Jesuit parish until the end of 2014. In January, he will journey to Kenya where he will begin his final year of Jesuit formation called "tertianship." It is a year dedicated to prayer, reflection and ministering directly to the poor. When he returns to Zambia, he hopes to be assigned to university teaching. Bon voyage, Father Nick!