Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian pontiff. Here's what the religious order means
Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian pontiff. Here's what the religious order means
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Who is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the new pope?
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been named the first ever pope from the U.S. and will go by the name Leo XIV.
Formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV became the first-ever pope born in the United States on May 8.
The 69-year-old, who hails from Chicago but has dual Peruvian nationality after spending most of his career as a missionary in Peru, became a cardinal in 2023.
"Peace be with you all," he told the cheering crowd in fluent Italian. Leo, who became the church's 267th pope, also spoke in Spanish, but not English, in his brief address.
Leo thanked Pope Francis and repeated his predecessor's call for a church that is engaged with the modern world and "is always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering."
Pope Leo XIV is a man of many firsts; apart from being the first American-born pope, he is also the first pope to be an Augustinian. Those who do not practice Catholicism may not know what this means.
Here is what you need to know about the Order of St. Augustine.
What is an Augustinian?
According to the Augustinian Vocations of North America, Augustinians are members of the Order of St. Augustine.
'We serve God and His people in diverse ministries as pastors, educators, and missionaries,' the vocations website said.
The order was born juridically in March 1244, when Pope Innocent IV united various groups of hermits in service to the Universal Church as a community of Mendicant Friars.
The core values of this order are to "live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God."
"The main purpose for you having come together is to live harmoniously in your house, intent upon God in oneness of mind and heart," the Rule of St. Augustine reads. "Call nothing your own, but let everything be yours in common. Food and clothing shall be distributed to each of you by your superior, not equally to all, for all do not enjoy equal health, but rather according to each one's need. For so you read in the Acts of the Apostles that 'they had all things in common and distribution was made to each one according to each one's need.''
How many Augustinians are there?
The Order of St. Augustine includes some 2,800 Augustinians in 47 countries throughout the world.
Contributing: Greg Giesen, Delaware News Journal
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
On 81st anniversary of D-Day, one US Navy veteran's son is the first American Pope
On this 81st anniversary of D-Day, the Pentagon has shared a powerful connection between the Vatican and the U.S. military. Pope Leo XIV's father, Louis Marius Prevost, served as a Navy officer during the historic 1944 Normandy landings. Prevost, born in Chicago in 1920, was commissioned into the Navy in November 1943. He served as the executive officer of a tank landing ship during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France June 6, 1944. World War Ii Veterans Travel To Normandy For Emotional D-day Commemoration Later, he commanded an infantry landing craft in Operation Dragoon, the August 1944 Allied landing in southern the war, Prevost returned to Illinois, where he became superintendent of Brookwood School District 167 and later principal of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Chicago. He was also a catechist, teaching Christian Sox Installing Pope Leo Xiv Graphic Near His 2005 World Series Seat Prevost married Mildred Agnes Martinez in 1949, and they had three sons, including Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected Pope Leo XIV May 8, 2025, becoming the first American-born this week, Pope Leo XIV signed a baseball at the Vatican, a nod to his Chicago roots and lifelong support for the White Sox. The team has honored him with a commemorative installation at Guaranteed Rate Field. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Vatican for comment but has not yet received a response. Read On The Fox News AppOriginal article source: On 81st anniversary of D-Day, one US Navy veteran's son is the first American Pope
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Fox News
On 81st anniversary of D-Day, one US Navy veteran's son is the first American Pope
On this 81st anniversary of D-Day, the Pentagon has shared a powerful connection between the Vatican and the U.S. military. Pope Leo XIV's father, Louis Marius Prevost, served as a Navy officer during the historic 1944 Normandy landings. Prevost, born in Chicago in 1920, was commissioned into the Navy in November 1943. He served as the executive officer of a tank landing ship during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France June 6, 1944. WORLD WAR II VETERANS TRAVEL TO NORMANDY FOR EMOTIONAL D-DAY COMMEMORATION Later, he commanded an infantry landing craft in Operation Dragoon, the August 1944 Allied landing in southern the war, Prevost returned to Illinois, where he became superintendent of Brookwood School District 167 and later principal of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Chicago. He was also a catechist, teaching Christian SOX INSTALLING POPE LEO XIV GRAPHIC NEAR HIS 2005 WORLD SERIES SEAT Prevost married Mildred Agnes Martinez in 1949, and they had three sons, including Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected Pope Leo XIV May 8, 2025, becoming the first American-born this week, Pope Leo XIV signed a baseball at the Vatican, a nod to his Chicago roots and lifelong support for the White Sox. The team has honored him with a commemorative installation at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Pope's father died in 1997, but his legacy endures through his son's historic papacy and the shared values of service and HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital has reached out to the Vatican for comment but has not yet received a response.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
New Lenox Augustinian Sisters reflect on their time with Robert Prevost
In his first official appointment, Pope Leo named a woman to head a major Vatican office. Sister Simona Brambilla is now the prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church's religious orders. Nuns at the Augustinian Nuns Monastery in New Lenox celebrated the appointment and their new Holy Father. Bob Prevost was a frequent visitor to the monastery as an adult. Ninety-year-old Sister Carmen Miravalles and 87-year-old Sister Mary of Good Counsel Villar met the pope in 1969 at St. Augustine Seminary High School. Special Section: Pope Leo 'We've known him for many, many years,' Sister Miravalles said. 'We love him.''I remember he was very kind, also very special,' Sister Mary of Good Counsel Villar Augustinian order asked the women to move from Spain to provide the seminarians with an example of a contemplative life.'Our life was dedicated to prayer,' Sister Mary of Good Counsel Villar said. Young Bob Prevost often showed his appreciation to the sisters.'He would come with baskets of apples for the sisters and (was) very helpful, very easy to help us in anything that we needed,' Sister Miravalles said. When Prevost was elected pope, it was evidence of the power of prayer over a lifetime.'I know he will be a very good pontiff because the whole time he has been like our brother,' Sister Mary of Good Counsel Villar said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
