Pope highlights virtue of listening while accepting award from US Augustinians

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV praised the virtue of listening before speaking as he received an award Thursday from his Augustinian religious order in the United States on the feast day of St. Augustine.

Leo reflected on peace, service and St. Augustine during a video message to his fellow American Augustinians gathered in Philadelphia, near Leo’s alma mater, Villanova University.

The former Robert Prevost, who was twice elected the superior of the religious order, thanked his brothers for the award and reaffirmed that “So much of who I am I owe to the spirit and the teachings of Saint Augustine.”

Leo has said from the start of his pontificate that he is a “son of St. Augustine” and he has infused his speeches, homilies and messages with the saint’s teachings and values.

The fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo inspired the 13th century religious Augustinian order as a community of “mendicant” friars, whose spirituality is rooted in a deep interior life of prayer, living in community, and journeying together in search of truth in God.

Leo recalled the Augustinian motto in Latin: “veritas, unitas, caritas” (truth, unity, love) in explaining how he lives his faith and vocation.

“Peace begins with what we say and do and how we say and do it. Saint Augustine reminds us that before we speak, we first must listen,” he said.

The video was recorded while the pope was on vacation in Castel Gandolfo this summer, and was being aired at the event organized by the Philadelphia branch of Augustinians known as the Saint Thomas of Villanova province.

People who know Leo say he consults widely and listens before taking decisions, but is decisive once he has made up his mind. He rarely speaks off-the-cuff, preferring to read from prepared texts.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.