ROME – Drawing on the core of Augustinian spirituality, Pope Leo on Monday stressed the importance of unity in opening the general chapter for his Augustinian order, during which they will elect new leadership.

“Let unity be an indispensable goal of your efforts, but not only that: may it also be the criterion for evaluating your actions and your work together, because what unites is from him, but what divides cannot be,” the pope said in his Sept. 1 homily.

He celebrated Mass inside the Roman Basilica of Saint Augustin in Campo Marzio for the opening of the Augustinian general chapter, during which the order will elect new leadership just four months after the election of history’s first Augustinian pope.

Unity and communion are core principles of Augustinian spirituality, as members seek to live a harmonious life in common as the foundation of their evangelic activities.

In his homily, the pope quoted various passages of scripture to underline the importance of unity in the life of faith, but also in their concrete work in the general chapter, saying “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Addressing participants in the chapter directly, he said, “of you too it may be said that ‘just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.’”

To illustrate the point, he quoted from a commentary of Saint Augustine on the night of Pentecost, saying, “Just as at that time the languages of all nations in one person indicated the presence of the Holy Spirit, in the same way he is now indicated by the love of the unity of all nations. Just as spiritual people … take pleasure in unity, so worldly people are ever ready to wrangle.”

“What greater power could piety have than the love of unity? … The time you can be sure you have the Holy Spirit is when you consent through sincere charity firmly to attach your minds to the unity,” he said.

The Augustinians’ 188th General Chapter general chapter will last from Sept. 1-18 with its opening date of Sept. 1 coinciding with the anniversary of Pope Leo’s entry into the Order’s novitiate in 1977.

The general chapter of the Augustinians, when they elect new leadership, is held every six years. This year’s gathering will host the participation of 100 Augustinians with voting rights from around 46 countries and 41 of the order’s jurisdictions around the world.

According to the Central Office of Church Statistics of the Holy See, as of December 31, 2024, there are some 2,341 Augustinians who serve in 395 communities across five continents.

Delegates at this year’s general chapter will elect the 98th Prior General of the Order, who will succeed Spanish Father Alejandro Moral after two consecutive 6-year terms leading the Order.

The election of Moral’s successor is of particular importance, given that the new pope is also an Augustinian, and Moral’s close friendship with Pope Leo. It is rumored that the order’s current Vicar General, Joe Farrell, is being considered to replace Moral, though there are also candidates from Spain and the Philippines, which are home to the Order’s largest provinces.

Twelve years ago, Pope Francis set a precedent by opening the Augustinian general chapter of 2013, when then-Father Robert Prevost was concluding his two consecutive terms as prior general of the order.

He was succeeded by Moral, who both terms served as Prevost’s vicar general, meaning they worked side-by-side for 12 years.

On Monday, Moral, concluding his own 12-years at the helm of the Augustinians, also greeted a pope during the opening Mass for his Order’s general chapter, but this time the pope was his longtime friend and Augustinian brother.

The presidents of the federations of Augustinian religious sisters and from lay members of the Augustinian family will also be given during the chapter, however, these members will not have voting rights.

in his homily Monday, Pope Leo also stressed the importance of humility and listening, saying participants must be attentive to the Holy Spirit and his inspirations.

“Let us ask the Lord that … his Spirit may prevail over every human logic, in an “abundant and irresistible” way, so that the Third Divine Person may truly become the protagonist of the coming days,” he said.

The Holy Spirit, the pope said, speaks through fellow members of the order, and through the concrete circumstances of life, meaning it is important that the that the atmosphere of the chapter be “in harmony with the centuries-long tradition of the Church, to be an atmosphere of listening: of listening to God and to others.”

“Live these days, therefore, in a sincere effort to communicate and to understand, and do so as a generous response to the great and unique gift of light and grace that the Father of Heaven gives you by summoning you here, specifically you, for the good of all,” he said.

Leo XIV also stressed the importance of humility, noting that Saint Augustine himself had reflected on the diversity of members as “an invitation to us to make ourselves small in the face of the freedom and inscrutability of God’s action.”

“Let no one think they have all the answers. May each person openly share what they have. His ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts,” he said.

Pope Leo insisted that it is only in humble listening to one another that the Spirit will be able “to teach and remind us of what Jesus said, inscribing it in our hearts so that its echo may spread from them, in the uniqueness and unrepeatability of every beat.”

After Mass, Pope Leo joined his fellow Augustinians and chapter participants for dinner.

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