"The texts of I ask you, be shepherds are taken from two sources: (1) from El verdadero poder es el servicio, Editorial Claretiana, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Chapter titles in the original Spanish publication have been altered in this English edition with the consent of Editorial Claretiana. These texts are exclusively published by Crossroad in English. (2) Courtesy of and with approval of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana"--Title page verso.

Pope Francis, also known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, taking the name after St. Francis of Assisi. His priestly ordination was in 1969, and in 1992, he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires and given the titular see of Auca. He became Buenos Aires's coadjutor bishop in 1997, succeeded as the see's archbishop the following year, and was elevated to cardinal in 2001. He is the author of On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family and the Church; Open Mind, Faithful Heart; The People Wish to See Jesus; and The Power to Serve.