Pope Leo XIV returned to what was for many years his home. In the framework of the 188th General Chapter of the Order of St. Augustine, Pope Leo XIV met with the religious at the Augustinianum, where he shared a message full of hope. The Augustinian Recollects, as part of this great family, welcome his words with gratitude and commitment.
A meeting in communion
“I feel at home”, the Pope confessed at the beginning of his speech.confessed the Pope at the beginning of his speech, underlining the grace of living a General Chapter as a time of prayer, listening and discernment. Taking up again the invitation of St. Augustine to. “not to go outside, but to return to oneself”, he recalled that interiority does not mean “to go outside, but to return to oneself”.He recalled that interiority is not flight, but strength for the mission: to return to the heart in order to go out again with enthusiasm to proclaim the Gospel.
Vocations and formation: an adventure of love
One of the axes that the Pope highlighted was the importance of vocations and initial formation. Quoting the Bishop of Hippo, he said:
“Amate ciò che sarete ” – “Love what you will be” -, recalling that vocation is not a ready-made suit, but “an adventure of love with God that involves the whole life of the person” .
Love, study and community
The Pope stressed that love, so central to St. Augustine, should also guide study and intellectual life: generosity in sharing knowledge and humility so as not to fall into vainglory. At the same time, he encouraged to live community life from charity, citing the Rule:
“Since you are fed from one larder, clothe yourselves with one closet”.
A mission that will not be extinguished
Since the first Augustinian mission in 1533, the missionary spirit has been an essential feature. The Pope exhorted not to let it die out:
“The evangelizing mission demands humble joy, availability for service and shared life with the people to whom we are sent”.
Welcoming the message as a Recollect family
For the Augustinian Recollects, these words resonate in harmony with the message that our Prior General addressed a few days ago on the Solemnity of St. Augustine: to live with an open heart for the mission, allowing ourselves to be renewed by the Spirit and walking as one family with a single heart directed towards God.
A call to shared prayer
Concluding his message, the Pope asked that this Chapter be lived “with fraternal joy and a heart ready to listen to the Spirit”. “with fraternal joy and a heart disposed to listen to the Spirit.”. From our Recollect family we join in this plea, renewing our fidelity to the charism and prayerfully accompanying the work of the Chapter.