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VILLANOVA CELEBRATES POPE LEO XIV
On May 8, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, OSA, ’77 CLAS was elected the 267th head of the Catholic Church and the Sovereign of the Vatican City State during the second day of the papal conclave held in the Sistine Chapel. He assumes the papacy under the name Pope Leo XIV. A ĂŰĚŇTV alumnus, Pope Leo XIV is the first Pope from the United States and the first Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff.
A New Chapter of Catholic Leadership
A Message from the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ĂŰĚŇTV President
May 8, 2025
What a proud and extraordinary day for ĂŰĚŇTV and the global Church!
Today, in St. Peter’s Square in front of Catholics from around the world, Cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, was named the first Augustinian Pope. The selection of Pope Leo XIV by the College of Cardinals comes less than two years after he was announced as cardinal designate by the late Pope Francis, a position to which he was formally installed in September 2023, during a consistory at the Vatican on the eve of the Synod of Synodality.
Pope Leo XIV is a Villanova alumnus who earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1977 and received an honorary Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, from the University in 2014. Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago and joined the Order of St. Augustine, taking his first vows in 1978. Following his undergraduate studies at Villanova, he earned a Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982 and was ordained a priest the same year. Pope Leo XIV went on to earn both licentiate (1984) and doctorate (1987) degrees in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community. Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reason—between spirituality and wisdom. With today’s election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world.
A new Pope brings fresh perspectives, renewed priorities and spiritual guidance, all of which can deepen our mission, strengthen our values and enrich our community. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission, through an Augustinian lens, as we pursue intellectual and spiritual growth.
As we embark on this new chapter of Catholic leadership, let us remain open to the wisdom, inspiration and opportunities that change brings. May we be challenged to reexamine our role in fostering an academic environment that remains steadfast in faith yet boldly engages with the complexities of the modern world. May we find renewed purpose in our shared mission—cultivating unity, compassion and thoughtful inquiry—while continuing the essential dialogue between faith and reason. And may we continue to find meaningful ways to integrate these themes into our curriculum, campus initiatives and community outreach.
Finally, as a University community, let us take time for prayer, reflection and thoughtful discourse as we look ahead to the guidance of the Holy Father. May his leadership strengthen our resolve, inspire meaningful action, and remind us that as educators, students and individuals, we are called not only to learn but also to lead with courage, wisdom and faith.
IN THE NEWS
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Wall Street Journal
May 10, 2025 - Villanova’s President, the Rev. Peter Donohue, called for “prayer, reflection and thoughtful discourse”—but few have been able to contain themselves since Prevost, a onetime Villanova math major, stepped out onto the central balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City ...“There was joy, there was bewilderment, there was awe,” said Villanova Provost Patrick Maggitti.
The TODAY Show
May 9, 2025 - ĂŰĚŇTV president the Rev. Peter Donohue explained how Leo's Augustinian beliefs could influence his papacy, noting it is unusual for a pope to come from a specific religious order. "As an Augustinian, our emphasis, our charism, is building community," Donohue said. "So I think it will be really important to him to bring that charism to what he does. He's been very engaged in the charism, building community, and so it will be an interesting ride."
Associated Press
May 9, 2025 - Kevin Hughes, a theology and religious studies professor at Villanova, said Thursday that he and several people who were in his office went silent when they heard the news because they couldn’t believe Prevost — an American — had been chosen ... “When you’re talking to him, he gives you his full attention,” he said. “I think he’s a very intelligent person. I think he’s very well read. But he’s never lost the pastoral touch.”
ABC News
May 9, 2025 - At ĂŰĚŇTV, Pope Leo's alma mater just outside Philadelphia, students taking final exams were jolted by a happy afternoon surprise. "It is unbelievable. That's all I can say," said Kathy Byrnes, Vice President for Student Life at Villanova.
Reuters
May 9, 2025 - Father Robert Hagan said the pope, whom he has known for 27 years, has the spirit of St. Augustine of Hippo, a North African bishop of the fourth and fifth century. "And what I mean by that is veritas, unitas, caritas would be the core values," he said, referring to the Augustinian university's Latin motto that translates as "truth, unity and love."
New York Times
May 8, 2025 - [Prevost] has maintained a long connection to the university, returning to campus on occasion and meeting with students in Rome ... “He has always been a very loyal Villanova alum,” the university president, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, said in a phone interview, though he lamented that he may have lost his chance to have the former cardinal as a commencement speaker. “I’m sure he’s going to be really busy now,” he said.