by Mary Judith Ress (Author)
Sister Mary Clare is a savvy sixty-plus-year-old nun who runs a shelter for women in downtown Oakland, California. Over the years, she has incorporated holistic healing practices into her work with the down-and-out women who appear on her doorstep. Casa Guadalupe has a reputation for being welcoming-no questions asked. At the request of her cousin, an emergency room nurse, Mary Clare is called upon to provide a Reiki session to an unconscious derelict man the police have picked up near Yosemite. But when the elderly man finally awakens, he discloses that he is St. Francis of Assisi and is dedicated to restoring the Savior's message and the Catholic Church. As the man's story is slowly revealed through vivid diary entries, Mary Clare embarks on her own journey to find out who he is, how he ended up in California, and why he believes he is St. Francis without any idea that she is about to unveil as much about herself and her beliefs as she does about him. In this tale of faith, love, and friendship, a nun crosses paths with a derelict man on a divine mission who teaches her more than she ever imagined about herself, God, the church, and forgiveness.