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Pope urges Augustinian fellow clergy: Hear, be humble, foster unity among ranks

"No one should assume they possess all knowledge; instead, encourage openness in sharing. Everyone should be receptive to ideas inspired by the Lord."

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Pope advises his Augustinian counterparts: Hear diligently, maintain humility, foster unity
Pope advises his Augustinian counterparts: Hear diligently, maintain humility, foster unity

Pope urges Augustinian fellow clergy: Hear, be humble, foster unity among ranks

Pope Leo XIV Encourages Unity Among Augustinian Order

Pope Leo XIV presided over a Mass of the Holy Spirit in Rome, marking the opening of the general chapter meeting of the Augustinian order. During his homily, the Pope encouraged the friars to welcome with faith what the Lord inspires, emphasizing the importance of listening to God and others.

In his speech, Pope Leo XIV referenced St. Augustine's teaching that the multiplicity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is an invitation to make ourselves small in the face of God's action. He prayed for the gifts of listening, humility, and promoting unity within the order and throughout the church and the world.

Contrary to speculation, the Pope did not mention any successor or current term during his homily. The first reading at the Mass was from 1 Corinthians 12:4-13, which explains how the Spirit gives people different gifts to build up the one body of Christ.

After the Mass, Pope Leo joined the chapter members for dinner in a large hall. Interestingly, the dinner did not take place during the pope's homily, but instead occurred later in the Italian attorney general's office, which is housed in a building next to the basilica that formerly belonged to the Augustinian order.

Pope Leo XIV served as prior general of the Augustinian order from 2001 to 2013, and his successor was Alejandro Moral Antón. Father Moral Antón was to finish his second term during the general chapter meeting, but he has since been succeeded by another Spanish friar.

The Pope emphasized that what unites is from God, but what divides cannot be. He urged unity as an indispensable goal and a criterion for evaluating their actions and work together. The pope delivered his homily in English instead of Italian, a departure from his usual practice.

In a more in-depth discussion about his prayer, the Pope spoke about the need for humility and promoting unity in Italian. He reiterated that the Holy Spirit speaks today as in the past, and encouraged the friars to be open to the guidance of the Spirit in their lives and in the life of the order.

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