News
AA-Info n.10 - October 2025
The Spiritual Heirs of an Incomparable Man
Roma
EDITORIAL
Fr. Ngoa Ya Tshihemba
Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption
Two successive editorials on the same theme? It's worth it. We must seize the moment. My first meeting with Pope Leo in the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Rome, where the remains of Saint Monica rest, is more than unforgettable. It was just across the street from this basilica (only 25 meters away) that our founder, Father Emmanuel d'Alzon, was ordained a priest on December 26, 1834, in the private oratory of Cardinal Odescalchi.
I actually spent three almost successive days in this place: August 27, for the feast of Saint Monica, August 28 for the feast of Saint Augustine, and September 1 for the opening Mass of the General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine. The invitation from the Prior General of the Order did not stop at the Eucharistic celebration. I was also invited, on September 1st, to share a meal with the Holy Father Leo. What a grace! At the end of Mass, before the meal, there was the bacciamano (literally, in Italian: the kiss on the hand—in fact, the opportunity to shake the Pope's hand). The cover photo of this issue clearly shows that this moment was pleasant, very pleasant indeed. The Prior General of the Order introduced me to the Pope, saying: "This is the Superior General of our Assumptionist brothers." The joy of authentic fraternity was expressed through shared smiles. A meeting with strong symbolic significance.
The place, the circumstances, and the people around me made me recall with joy the words of Saint John Paul II to the participants in the Symposium of the Augustinian Family, which I mentioned in my previous editorial (AA Info No. 9). Yes, we must be proud: we are the spiritual heirs of an incomparable man. The best way to honor the memory of this incomparable man is to “do everything with humility.” He was thus making a suggestion that he hoped would be useful to his brothers who were beginning a general chapter. He told them in his homily (1): “Listening, humility, and unity: these are three pieces of advice, I hope useful, that the liturgy offers you for these coming days.”
The desire for unity is within each of us. We must continue to strive toward it and achieve it. This is why Pope Leo exhorted the capitulars: "Let unity be an indispensable element of your efforts, but not only that: let it also be the criterion for verifying your action and your collaboration, for what unites comes from Him, but what divides cannot come from Him."
My dear brothers, Pope Leo spoke well of listening, humility, and unity in his homily. I wanted to see him live out these recommendations, even if only for a few minutes. The opportunity arose during the meal. I then understood why we had been forbidden to take photos during that moment, because Leo XIV had shown himself as he is: humble. He had dropped his papal mask to remain himself among his people. What a joy to live with such authentic people. At the beginning of this community year, many of you have already celebrated your local chapters. I hope that everything took place in a spirit of mutual listening, in humility, and with a single objective: the pursuit of unity. If you haven't done so yet, then this is the criterion to set for yourself when the time comes. It's not just the Pope who asks this of us: it's Augustinian and it's evangelical.
Good luck to all for this new community year. There have been changes in communities, brothers who have received new responsibilities, and certainly there will be new projects in community life and in the various apostolates. In his Angelus on Sunday, August 24, 2025, the Pope said: “God does not appreciate sacrifices and prayers if they do not lead us to live love for our brothers and to practice justice.” The best path that can lead us to this is mutual listening, in humility and the search for unity. May our communities be the first places where we experience this truth.
- Homely of Pope Leo X1V at the Basilica of Saint Augustine on Champs de Mars (Rome), Monday September 1st 2025 during the opening Mass of the 188th General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine.
To read the full AA-Info #10, follow this link...