One day last year I opened my email to find a curious message from Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa. The email began with a common assumption. Because my job title contains the phrase “Capuchin Fellow”, many people assume I must be a Capuchin friar myself. I am however simply an expert on the history of the Franciscans.
The cardinal had read an article I had published and emailed because he was looking for help with an English edition of some of his sermons on the topic of the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.
Staring at this email, I knew it was the start of an exciting new line of research. This was because of who Cantalamessa is: the Capuchin preacher to the papal household.
