Building a mystery
As a 50-year member of the Boston College Jesuit community, Harvey D. Egan, S.J., is known at 911±¬ÁĎÍř and beyond as a researcher, a professor of theology, and the author of numerous books on subjects from Christian mysticism and the work of Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner to the evolution of post-Vatican II Catholicism. Throughout his career, he also has pursued a wide variety of interests beyond academia.
Solving crimes, however, was not among them. Until now.
Fr. Egan's latest role is serving as the inspiration for Father Ignatius Lacroix, the reluctant detective in the new Mighty Monk Mysteries book series by D. Ansgar Nyberg, in which an aging Jesuit scholar matches wits with a variety of evildoers.
Much like G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown and others in the clerical-investigator literary tradition, Lacroix doesn’t act in an official capacity; quite the contrary. He is intent on his teaching, research, and pastoral activities when—as is so often the case with amateur sleuths—a body gets in the way.
The series' first book, In Lent, The Cardinal Quit Singing, confronts Lacroix with the murder of a high-ranking ecclesiastical official at a retreat center, a situation rendered all the more chilling for its setting amid an ice storm. The priest's analytical skills are tested anew in No Rest for the Wicked, in which he must connect the dots between two mysterious deaths occurring seven years apart, and yet again in The Silence of St. Bernard, in which he must unravel a web of deceit surrounding an abbey's prized relic.
The story begins
How Fr. Egan came to inspire the series is itself not a mystery, but rather a tale of grace, hope, mercy, and spiritual accompaniment. It began in 2008, when he first came into contact with Ansgar, as he refers to Nyberg, who at that time had already been incarcerated for 33 years.
"His attorney reached out to a website frequented by people interested in mystical theology, asking for help mentoring Ansgar in that area. I gladly responded," Fr. Egan said.
Though their initial interactions centered on theological studies, Fr. Egan soon learned that Ansgar held degrees in law, history, and psychology, was a voracious reader, and was self-taught in several languages.
Harvey Egan, S.J. (Caitlin Cunningham)
As the correspondents became better acquainted—at that time via snail mail, due to prison rules—"the precision, clarity, and profundity of his writings deeply impressed me," Fr. Egan said. "His questions, his replies to mine, and the speed of his writing indicated to me that I was dealing with an extraordinary individual, both intellectually and spiritually."
For his part, Ansgar "quickly learned that Fr. Egan intended me to do my own thinking," he said, as part of his answers to several questions submitted to him through the Jesuit. "I would ask a question and his response would be for me to read—usually a set of three books—and find the answer. My first 'assignment,' was to write my life story in a genre he would not expect, make the text a minimum of 70,000 words, and it was due in six-weeks."
The resulting essay would lead to Ansgar's 2018 book A Puddle of Light: A Prisoner’s Tears, one of several of his works based on the prison experience.
Ansgar, in fact, had produced a number of books on a range of subjects before his exchange with Fr. Egan began. Writing had long been of interest to him—as early as the third grade, when he wrote and illustrated a group of short stories about elephants. But he didn't turn to it in a serious way until he was 20.
"I was sitting in a confinement cell in the infamous East Unit of Florida State Prison," he recalled. "I looked at what I had, and questioned what I was likely to be always allowed to have. I saw pencil and paper. So it was to be art and writing."
In time, Fr. Egan began assisting him with online publication. "Ansgar put a lot of hope and effort into his writings but had almost no chance of getting published without help," he said. "I partially edited, reformatted, and uploaded about twelve of his books. The result was hope when he needed hope. The time he spent crafting his stories, especially the ones in mystical theology, were hours spent in Scripture and meditation on God. This was the available medicine that Ansgar needed to survive and thrive in the midst of his horrid circumstances."
D. Ansgar Nyberg
"I could talk for a long time about what Fr. Egan led me to learn about writing," Ansgar said, "but that is not even the most important part of studying under him. My life was difficult and had been for decades. One of Fr. Egan’s interventions came during a very dark time. He responded to a letter of mine with a letter containing these simple words: 'Don’t die until you die.'
"Fr. Egan had, even still has, the ability to tell me that I am doing well," he said, "and my response is to try twice as hard.'
Enter Ignatius Lacroix
The first entry in the Lacroix series, which arrived in the mail complete with a heartfelt dedication, came as a surprise to Fr. Egan, who found In Lent, The Cardinal Quit Singing to have a fast-moving plot with many twists and turns, and enjoyed following along with the clues.
"Fr. Egan’s reaction was almost worth the effort all by itself," said Ansgar, referencing the Jesuit's "wicked" sense of humor, of which glimpses appear in Lacroix's wry interior monologue. "He even claimed that I was wrong in who killed the Cardinal, then offered to confess to the crime."
While Ansgar believes Lacroix is "more verbose and less dry" than Fr. Egan, "they do share brilliance and patience and a deep sense of grace and mercy," he said.
Fr. Egan also sees some similarities between himself and the character. "Having initially trained as an electrical engineer, and having inherited my father’s temperament, I tend to share Lacroix’s attention to detail and tenacity," he said. "We both have a will to solve problems at all costs. My intensity, however, contrasts with his calm resolve."
Not only is the protagonist of Mighty Monk Mysteries based on Fr. Egan, but the name of the series itself refers to the Jesuit's longstanding sobriquet.
"When I was studying at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the late 1950s, a friend and I often attended Mass at a nearby Trappist monastery," Fr. Egan said. "We became quick friends with two of the monks. When I revealed to them that I was considering becoming a Jesuit, one of them called me 'Mighty Monk.' Although Jesuits are not monks, my sense of humor was attracted to the moniker. I’ve used it on and off since then—and quickly used it with Ansgar after my initial contact with him."
Though Fr. Egan is certain he would not personally enjoy being an amateur detective ("Definitely not. Lacroix’s life pales before the tumultuously enthralling life of a Jesuit theologian."), he is willing to weigh in on who could portray him in an adaptation—should Netflix come calling—citing James Spader as a possibility.
"But, ideally," he said, "I would play myself."
The next chapter
It’s unclear at present whether Lacroix will have a fourth case to crack, but the communication between Fr. Egan and Ansgar, which over the years has expanded well beyond its initial brief, continues, and has made a deep impression on both.
Released from prison in 2019, Ansgar now devotes his time not only to writing but to helping others. "While I am old enough to retire, I have not done so," he said, noting that he works through a Methodist church in Nevada to reach out to those he calls "the shunned": addicts and ex-offenders.
The labor, he says, is "stressful—lots of hospital visits, lots of suffering—but also some victories and rejoicing."
Adds Fr. Egan, "Our relationship turned out to be as great a blessing for me as it might be for him. I rejoiced to have played a pastoral role in some of the most difficult days of his life. I see him now more as a friend than an advisee."
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