John J Pietrangelo
The Roman Curia, made up of the most powerful Cardinals in the Vatican, show their displeasure with the young pope whom they, themselves, have unwittingly placed on the Throne of Saint Peter. A few among them had done this as a ruse to consolidate their ever-growing power over the worldwide congregation of the faithful, never imagining that this politically naive and inexperienced priest would take the bull by the horns, overturning the whole apple cart! But that, it seems, is exactly what is happening! From an implausible prophecy unfolding to perfection, a relatively unknown parish priest has miraculously ascended the heights to become Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Unexpectedly thrown into the middle of corruption among members within the highest echelon of the Vatican hierarchy, the new pope is overwhelmed by his unsought position of authority but is emboldened by the unfailing support of his brother, Paul. Intertwined throughout both Book One and Book Two of this Light and Sound Series finds the D’Alessio family wending its way through life’s inevitable obstacles, the grandparents and mother of the boys imparting the wisdom of the ages to them along the way. Having successfully negotiated a life-threatening experience at the hands of Islamic extremists, Pope Peter now feels his life may be threatened from within the power structure of the Church as well. Paul continues to provide invaluable support to his brother, uncovering further historical evidence of past deceit and corruption within the Church, while translating newly discovered ancient scrolls hidden within the depths of the Vatican Library. Constantly looking back to his youthful exchanges with who he deems to have been his guardian angels, the new pope struggles with his own mortality, his spiritual priorities, and his responsibility to execute his duties honestly and faithfully. He wrestles with reconciling his training as a priest with the findings within the scrolls and revelations regarding Church history recently brought to light by Paul. Is transformation in the offing? Will those who have been given the Keys to the Kingdom continue doing business as usual? Or when all is said and done will the priest and the archaeologist triumph in the face of enormous odds? Can there be an epiphany wrought in the minds and hearts of the Church’s faithful leading to a spiritual renewal?
