In this fourth installment of "The Pope's Cat" series, Margaret and the Pope travel for the first time together away from the Vatican and out of Rome. They go by train to the Umbrian hill town of Assisi, a place of pilgrimage for Christians all over the world who want to remember the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Together they visit the great Basilica named for St. Francis, greet Franciscan friars at the monastery, attend a World Day of Prayer for Peace, meet religious leaders (each, it seems, with a very different hat!) from around the world, and see evidence of the spirit of St. Francis all over town. Most of all, the Pope shows his love and care for his vulnerable creature friend, as at the beginning of the book when someone from the Curia has frightened Margaret and she's hiding in a closet in the Pope's apartment. “Don’t worry,  il mio amore .” ( Il mio amore  means “My love.”) “People can be so fussy, can’t they?” the Pope says, picking her up in his arms. “I’ve been to Assisi and the Vatican many times, but I saw them fresh when I saw them through Margaret’s eyes. I’m severely allergic to cats, but I can’t help but love the times I spend with Margaret and my grandchildren. This is the gift for all your young-uns (and yourself too).” — Mike Aquilina , author of  Angels of God , and executive vice-president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology “Slurping on gelato, sleeping through sermons, and annoying the Roman Curia ... Margaret’s back, and is as mischievous and lovable as ever.” — Brendan Walsh , Editor,  The Tablet  "If you've ever wanted to know more about the real man we call St. Francis, then let the Pope's constantly curious cat be your guide. Discover this saint's revolutionary teachings and why they are more important than ever in our world today. Walk the streets of Assisi through Roy DeLeon's magnificent illustrations and even savor the sweetness of gelato with Margaret as she gives us a peek inside all the places we long to explore." — Lisa M. Hendey , author of  I Am God's Storyteller "Pack your imagination and board the train with Margaret and the Pope, on a historical, fun-loving, faith-filled adventure to the city of St. Francis. Margaret's infectious curiosity makes her the perfect traveling companion, with every twist and turn a page turner. Get ready.  Arrivederci!" — Karen Kiefer , Director, The Church in the 21st Century Center, and author of  Drawing God   Jon M. Sweeney  is an independent scholar and award-winning author. His books have been translated into many languages. He's a popular interpreter of the life and work of Francis of Assisi, and author of more than 40 books including St. Francis of Assisi with a foreword by Richard Rohr, and The Complete Francis of Assisi used by Third Order Franciscans. HBO optioned the film rights to Sweeney's book on the medieval Pope Celestine V, The Pope Who Quit. In 2023, Jon published Sit in the Sun: And Other Lessons in the Spiritual Wisdom of Cats,  and Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness and Light , coauthored with Mark S. Burrows. Jon has been interviewed on CBS News, WGN-TV, Fox News, and CBS Saturday Morning, and by publications online from CNN to Romper. He's a practicing Catholic who also prays regularly with his wife, a congregational rabbi. He loves the church, the synagogue, and other aspects of organized religion. He would never say he's "spiritual but not religious." He is the father of four and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sweeney is codirector of The Lux Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary; religion editor at Monkfish Book Publishing; editor of Living City magazine; and contributing editor for books at SpiritualityandPractice.com. Roy DeLeon  is an Oblate of St. Benedict, a spiritual director, a workshop facilitator focused on creative praying, an Urban Sketcher, and a professional illustrator. In addition to illustrating The Pope's Cat series, he is also the author of  Praying with the Body: Bringing the Psalms to Life . He lives in Bothell, Washington, with his wife, Annie. Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.37 inches Weight: 5 oz Page Count: 64 Release Date: March 3, 2020 Binding: Paperback