🏫 From the South Side of Chicago with Love

Anne in Naperville, Illinois (shoutout to the Midwest Catholics 🙌), shared a very personal tidbit:

Pope Leo XIV went to St. Rita of Cascia High School, an all-boys Catholic school run by the Augustinian brothers, on the southwest side of Chicago. Yes, the Pope was a St. Rita Mustang! 🐎

Anne’s own family has deep roots there: five of her brothers graduated from the same school. And it’s there, according to her and Patrick, that the seed of his vocation was planted. Surrounded by the Augustinians, Pope Leo XIV developed a deep connection with St. Augustine’s spirituality: a love that would later shape his entire priesthood and papacy.

📚 The Augustinian Magnetism

Patrick added some insight: Pope Leo XIV was definitely drawn to the teachings and life of St. Augustine, and the Augustinian Order became a spiritual home base for him. It’s no surprise he eventually went to Villanova, a big Augustinian hub. But it all started, like so many vocations do, with real people in a high school classroom who lived out the faith in a way that captured a teenager’s heart.

🥪 From Car Wash to Papal Cassock?

Patrick hinted, jokingly, but probably accurately... that we’re about to hear a whole wave of personal stories about Pope Leo XIV’s humble beginnings. We'll hear about where he used to eat lunch or his part-time jobs before seminary. These little details are bound to come out as the world gets to know the new Pope better, and Patrick’s all here for it. Honestly, same.

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