María Vallejo-Nágera, is a Spanish author, wrote ´Un Mensajero en la Noche’ in 2003, along with many other inspirational and touching novels. She has a degree in Philosophy and Educational Sciences from Complutense University of Madrid, along with a fellowship in Advanced Leadership from Harvard University, where she studied Advanced Biblical Studies. Due to ´Un Mensajero en la Noche´s immense success, it was eventually translated into English: A Messenger in the Night. The novel is based on a true story and stems from the life experiences of María, along with another prominent figure that is put into her path.
The novel is a beautiful and captivating account of the experiences María went through after visiting Medjugorje, a village where the Virgin Mary has frequently visited. She was working as a journalist at the time and was given an opportunity to interview a peculiar man, a man who had been convicted of the worst crimes, who had done unspeakable things; a man who was a drug addict, alcoholic, thief, and highly aggressive. He ended up being arrested and spent 14 years imprisoned in the most dangerous prisons in the United Kingdom. One night, mysteriously, he turned into a man of God after the visitation of an angel during a winter’s night. This drastic change in his character caught lots of people’s attention; how could a man so cruel could turn into a person led by God's love, in one mere night?
His name was Albert Wensbourgh.
After his visitation by the angel, his personality changed into a loving and caring one, whose only will was to honour the word of God; having an urge to spread his discovery with his inmates. When he got out of prison, he went to a monastery where he ended his days as a Benedictine monk.
Maria recounts her findings with utmost detail, focusing on all of the aspects leading up to the drastic change in Albert’s life. She describes how his life continued after, managing to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, creating a moving sense of empathy for the prisoner and frankly, not allowing you put the book down for a single moment. Her entrancing narration of his life’s journey conveys the beauty of religion to believers and non-believers. It gives hope to society and to the betterment of people who are led by evil and hatred.
My personal connection to this novel and María is not only due to her soul-striking and touching story of her life experiences with Albert - how she was chosen apart from everybody to tell his story in a truly emotional and moving manner - but also due to the fact María is my next-door neighbour in the town where I spend my summers; Sotogrande.
Ever since I was little, my mother would ramble about the woman who lived next to us. She told me about all of her encounters with God and her close connection to spirituality. As a young girl, I always thought of this as fictional, not understanding how these stories could possibly be true. Until, one dar, I finally brought myself to read her most famous novel. I fell in love with Alberts´ story. Being able to speak to her personally about this book truly amazed me and led me to further believe in his story; her honesty, faith and kindness inspires me.
I truly recommend everyone to take the time to learn about Alberts´ story. The book is a short one, consisting of only 188 pages. The fluidity of María’s writing makes the novel seem much shorter than it is. Whether you believe in God or not, I find it so incredibly important to grow and learn about the history of religion. Keeping your minds open is the true key to intelligence and brilliance. Reading and informing yourself on matters you might not believe in or resonate with, truly paves the path to expanding your knowledge. I urge everybody to take the time to engage with this captivating tale.
“Quédese solo con lo verdaderamente esencial: lo que ´Un mensajero en la noche` relata, y que hace referencia a la increíble vida del monje benedictino protagonista, es REAL. Eso es lo único que debe importarle y con lo que deseo que hoy, tantos años después, se quede clavado como con una chincheta en su entendimiento y en su corazón” - MARÍA VALLEJO-NÁGERA
"Stay only with the truly essential: what ´A messenger in the night tells, and that refers to the incredible life of the protagonist Benedictine monk, is REAL. That is the only thing that should matter to him and with what I wish that today, so many years later, he will be nailed like a pin in his understanding and in his heart." - MARÍA VALLEJO-NÁGERA
By: Sofia Albada, Year 12
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