I finally discovered the Key to who the Real Pope Francis is.

Pope Francis Prayer life.  His Jesuit (SJ)spirituality has formed him.  I’ve read four biographies of the pope,  but Mark Shriver’s book, Pilgrimage (My Search for the Real Pope Francis) unlocks, what to me is a key to who Jorge Bergoglio is.  I had read that the pope is an early riser, around 4:45 and that he prays his way to the preaching at the 7:00 a.m. Mass in Santa Martha’s chapel.

Sebastien Maillard gives further information on Pope Francis’ prayer life.  Writing in the Huff Post he titled his article, “A Day in the Life of Pope Francis, Who Lives Behind This Gas Station”. “When the mass ends, everyone remains seated.  Pope Francis gets up in silence, often moving to a seat in the back row, to pray among the people. … Pope Francis ends his day, as it started — in prayer. He prays before dinner, where he helps himself at the buffet. He switches off the light at around 10 p.m.”

In Mark Shriver’s book (in the chapter titled novice) I found, what to me is the key to the Real Pope Francis, his dedication to prayer. 

  I read  on page 62:   “Piety” is a tricky word.  Today, when you hear someone called pious, the adjective usually implies sanctimony, a holier-than-thou bearing.  But it has its root in pietas, the Latin word for dutifulness.” Mark Shriver quotes Fr. Paredes, Bergoglio’s former student: “We got the sense that Zaragozi (novice master) awoke in Bergoglio (novice) not just the habit but the rage for prayer that he has to this day.” Shriver writes: “The “habit ” the “rage for prayer”—clearly, both the novice master and the novice saw prayer as a welcome duty that gave meaning to their daily lives. “