The photos are slightly faded now, with the graininess you would expect for pictures from 25 years ago. But there, clothed in the black tunic of the Augustinians, is the man who would become the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
With a wide smile and greying hair, Father Robert Prevost twice visited Villanova College in King City, just north of Toronto. He came first in the 2000-01 school year as the provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinian region, in which part of his responsibility was to meet with communities across Midwestern U.S. states and Ontario. Ten years later, he returned to the 海角社区官网area as prior general to again visit Villanova.
“The Augustinian order is about community,” school headmaster Paul Paradiso said 鈥 and that’s why it was Prevost’s responsibility to visit Villanova College in 2000-01.
Villanova CollegeAs of Thursday, Prevost is Pope Leo XIV.
鈥淲e were excited with the announcement,鈥 Paul Paradiso, headmaster at Villanova College, told the Star, 鈥渆specially since most of the news we were hearing 鈥 and it was understandable 鈥 that it was sort of a long shot for an American to be elected pope.鈥
Leo was elected by 133 cardinals voting behind sealed doors at the Sistine Chapel, becoming the first American pope in the church鈥檚 two-millennia history. The 69-year-old was born in Chicago, spent much of his career ministering in Peru and had only two years ago become a cardinal.
- Obed Lamy And Hallie Golden The Associated Press
His historic ascendance has left people around the world scrambling to piece together a picture of how this man 鈥 an American from a Great Lakes city not too different from our own 鈥 became pope. His own family can barely believe it.
鈥淚 was in the moment of disbelief that this cannot be possible because it鈥檚 too far from what we thought would happen,鈥 Prevost鈥檚 brother, John, told The Associated Press on Thursday. 鈥淚t’s quite a responsibility and I think it鈥檚 going to lead to bigger and better things, but I think people are going to watch him very closely to see what he鈥檚 doing.鈥
Leo’s remarks on Thursday, in which he asked “we all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared for us,” reflected the core values of the Augustine message, Paradiso (right) said.
Villanova CollegeLeo spent decades in the church, including a significant chunk of his career in Peru. But as an Augustinian leader in Chicago, he paid Ontario鈥檚 Villanova College a pair of visits.
When he came in 2000-01, it was when the school had about 80 students, Paradiso told the Star. Leo greeted students in the school鈥檚 portable classroom. When he came a decade later, during the 2009-10 school year, it was to preside over the all-English speaking provincial meetings that Villanova hosted.
Prevost became a cardinal in only two years ago and is the first American pope in the church’s two-millennia history.
Villanova CollegeIn addition to Leo鈥檚 trips to the Greater 海角社区官网Area, Paradiso met him a handful of times in Chicago.
鈥淗is humility, his intelligence, really his integrity and his genuine profound faith,鈥 Paradiso said. 鈥淭hat is something that has been evident through his vocation as a priest and then as a leader within the Augustinian community.鈥
It will have to guide him through the immensity of his new job.
In a news conference Friday up a hill from the Vatican, U.S Cardinal Joseph Tobin recalled the moment during the conclave it began to sink in that Prevost may become pope.
鈥淚 took a look at Bob, because his name had been floating around, and he had his head in his hands,鈥 Tobin said. 鈥淚 was praying for him because I couldn鈥檛 imagine what happens to a human being when you鈥檙e facing something like that.
鈥淎nd then when he accepted it, it was like he was made for it.鈥
With files from The Associated Press
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