Merrimack College’s three Augustinian friars and the entire campus community rejoiced at the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, on Thursday, May 8. He is the first American and first Augustinian to ascend the throne of St. Peter and lead the more than 1 billion Catholics around the world.
“We are humbled and incredibly honored,” said the Rev. Raymond Dlugos, O.S.A., Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry. “This is a great honor for the Augustinians. As our Prior Provincial (and Merrimack College trustee) the Rev. Robert Hagan, O.S.A. said, it is like seeing a member of your family being elected pope.”
Beyond being a member of Merrimack’s founding order, the new pope has a personal connection to the College. In 2005, when he was Prior General of the Augustinians, then Rev. Robert Prevost, O.S.A., received an honorary doctorate from Merrimack for his devotion and leadership of the order. He also celebrated Baccalaureate Mass.
Like Fr. Ray, as well as fellow Merrimack College Augustinians the Rev. Bryan Kerns, O.S.A., vice president and chief of staff to the president, and the Rev. Daniel Madden, O.S.A., director of the Grace J. Palmisano Center for Campus Ministry, Pope Leo XIV is a graduate of Villanova University.
Both Fr. Ray and the pope attended the Augustinian university in Philadelphia in the late 1970s and took some classes together.
“(Pope Leo XIV) is just a really nice, very down-to-Earth guy,” said Fr. Ray. “You will see someone who is truly a servant of his fellow Christians.”
Check out Fr. Ray speaking to WCVB-TV about Merrimack’s connection to Pope Leo XIV
The Holy Father served as director of formation when Fr. Bryan was a theology student and he ordained Fr. Dan a deacon in 2020.
“I had the chance to meet him three times, and each time, I remember the time he took to talk either with me or the group I was with,” said Fr. Dan. “Before he ordained me a deacon, while I was studying in Chicago, we met. He said that he wanted to get to know me before the ordination. He asked questions about my life. He simply asked questions and listened.”
Born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV was ordained an Augustinian priest in 1982. He served as prior general from 2001 to 2013, after which he was bishop of Chiclayo, Peru until 2023. Pope Francis then named him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, the office in charge of recommending candidates to be bishops.
In his first public address on the balcony above St. Peter’s Square after the papal election, Pope Leo XIV quoted Saint Augustine saying “I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, ‘With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop.’ So may we all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared for us.”
