MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Habemus papam. Catholics around the world have a new pope, Leo XIV. For the first time, the pope hails from the United States. And another first, Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian friar to lead the Catholic Church. He grew up in Chicago, where he was known as Robert Prevost. He graduated from Villanova University. That's an Augustinian Catholic institution where he joined the order. Well, our next guest met the new pope back when he was studying to be an Augustinian. Reverend Robert Hagan is the prior provincial of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova. That is the East Coast chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine. Father Rob, welcome.
ROBERT HAGAN: Hi, Mary Louise. Thank you.
KELLY: So you got an American, an Augustinian and a Villanova grad. This is like a trifecta for you in the new pope.
HAGAN: We are speechless. We really are just overjoyed. When he appeared on that balcony, it was like seeing a family member step up there. And we're just so happy, not just for him, but for the world because we - what we know of Leo XIV to be in terms of his faith, in terms of his love of the poor, in terms of his intellect, in terms of his approachability, the person that he is, is now a gift to our church and to our world.
KELLY: Did it strike you today as you listened to him step out onto that balcony addressing the massive crowd gathered at the Vatican that he chose to speak Italian, also Spanish, threw in some Latin today? I wondered, did that strike you as an intentional signal - you know, hey, I may be American, but I will be pope to the world?
HAGAN: I think it's just who he is. I don't know that he was, you know, trying to, you know, show off how many languages he knew as much as this is just who he is. He is really bright. He looks for ways to connect with people through language, through culture, through humor. And so for him to do that, I think you're right, I mean, I think it did say to the world that this is someone that we all can relate to.
KELLY: So...
HAGAN: And he has that capacity.
KELLY: He has that capacity. Go back to your student days. I mentioned you met the now-pope when you were a student. Can you share a memory of a specific interaction?
HAGAN: It's interesting, Mary Louise, because he held the position that I now have. So he was the prior provincial of the Our Mother of Good Counsel Province in Chicago. And so because I was doing my novitiate year in Racine, Wisconsin, I was technically under his jurisdiction. And so you can imagine meeting a superior when you're the newbie, you know, you're the rookie. And what I found...
KELLY: You probably remember him a lot better than he remembered you (laughter) is what you're saying.
HAGAN: Well, yeah, and I just found someone who was welcoming, who was not condescending, who didn't, you know, kind of flaunt his title or his office, who just wanted to know me. And we - you know, we had dinner in the dining room together, and we talked about normal things, like, you know, the city of Chicago and Augustine. And he wanted to know what we were studying. And he just made a point of reaching out as a friend. And as Augustinians, a core value for Augustine is friendship, that we really can come to understand and meet the presence of God through friendship. And I think Leo XIV really embodies that, and I certainly experienced it.
KELLY: I did want to ask about that part of his biography, that this is a first Augustinian pope. I mean, for those who are not Catholic, just briefly explain what that would mean, how that might distinguish Leo from his predecessors.
HAGAN: Well, first of all, I think, you know, there are many different fraternities and sororities, if you will, within the Catholic Church. You know, Pope Francis was a Jesuit. And, you know, we know Dominicans and Franciscans. We all have a particular charism, where we take inspiration from. In our case, from Augustine, who lived, you know, in the late 300s, early 400s. He was a prolific writer and preacher. And so, you know, the values of what we would - be core foundational values for an Augustinian would be veritas, unitas, caritas - truth, unity and love. And so Leo, you know, XIV has been formed on those foundational values.
KELLY: We'll leave it there. That's Reverend Rob Hagan, head of the East Coast chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine. Thank you.
HAGAN: Thank you.
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