NORTH ANDOVER -- Augustinian Father Ray Dlugos has known Pope Leo XIV for over 50 years.

Father Dlugos, vice president for mission and ministry at Merrimack College, first met the pope at Villanova University in 1974. He and Father Dlugos reunited when then-Father Robert Prevost became prior general of the Augustinians.

"Showing us, in a sense, what Augustinian leadership looks like, which means you do not separate yourself from the flock," Father Dlugos said. "You join it."

Most recently, Father Dlugos saw the pope in March, while on a pilgrimage to Rome with Merrimack students, staff, and alumni. He found the Holy Father to possess the same warmth he had back when he was Bob Prevost, the Villanova student he shared a philosophy class with.

"This was the same person I had known for over 50 years," he said.

In getting to know the pope, the most striking thing to Father Dlugos has been his smiles. He has more than one, deploying each when the occasion requires it. There's the "formal smile," which Pope Leo XIV wears in front of crowds, the "pastoral smile" he gives when showing compassion to someone he meets, and the "fraternal smile," when he's taking joy in something funny or heartfelt. This smile only appears every so often, but when it does, Father Dlugos thinks, "There's my brother."

Father Rob Hagan, prior provincial of the Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, saw "one of those smiles" in September 2025, during the Augustinian General Chapter in Rome. The General Chapter, a meeting of Augustinians from 46 countries, happened to coincide with the pope's birthday. The Augustinians brought out a cake to celebrate.

"It was just another reminder of how much he still needs community," Father Hagan said.

To Father Hagan, Father Dlugos, and Joseph Kelley, professor emeritus of religion and theological studies at Merrimack, Pope Leo XIV's keen sense of community is a trait that he learned from his Augustinian formation.

The three men participated in a panel discussion entitled "Celebrating Pope Leo XIV, a Proud Son of Augustine" at Merrimack's Collegiate Church of Christ the Teacher on April 29. The panel was moderated by WBZ-TV reporter Kristina Rex.

While much has been made of Pope Leo XIV being the first pope from the U.S., he is also the first Augustinian pope, which has created a surge of interest in Augustinian spirituality and universities. Father Hagan said that the panel discussion was a way to "capture and harness this momentum" as the one-year anniversary of Pope Leo XIV's election nears.

"He's just being a good Augustinian," Father Hagan said of the pope, "and he's preaching peace, and he's challenging us to go into our interior lives and to address our restlessness and recognizing we all have restless hearts."

Father Hagan first met Pope Leo XIV during his novitiate in Racine, Wisconsin, when the pope, then known as "Father Bob," was prior provincial of the Augustinians' Midwest Province.

"It struck me right away how humble and unassuming this man was," Father Hagan recalled. "He had the big job. He already had the big title. He was one of the grand poohbahs of the order already, and he wanted to know about me."

For the next 26 years, Father Hagan became acquainted with Pope Leo XIV's humility, "wicked intelligence," and strong faith. When he saw the newly-elected pope greet the crowds in St. Peter's Square upon his election on May 8, 2025, he and his fellow Augustinians thought, "There's Bob."

"Yes, he's Pope Leo XIV," he said. "But in a lot of ways, he is Bob the Augustinian-formed friar."

In his remarks, Kelley said that Pope Leo XIV exemplifies St. Augustine's spirituality of "interiority."

"Religion isn't just a matter of external observance, keeping rules, being ethical," Kelley said. "That's all important, but what's going on inside?"

In "Of True Religion," St. Augustine writes, "Do not look outside. Return to yourself. In our interior, the truth resides."

Around the world, the Augustinian Sisters live a quiet life of contemplation, away from a world of screen time and constant distractions.

"I could not think of a recent pope who has had the advantage of a close relationship with contemplative sisters," Kelley said.

The sisters' formation is "studying how to listen," and Pope Leo XIV's has been the same. Seeing footage of Pope Leo XIV's recent visit to Africa, Kelley could see him carefully observing and contemplating everything that was going on around him.

"He's not going to react to things," Kelley said. "He will respond thoughtfully, because he will have listened."

Kelley said that the first year of Pope Leo XIV's papacy has been marked by a community spirit.

"The Church for him is more than just an organization, a hierarchical organization to preach the Gospel," he said. "It is a living community of faith, hope, and love."

Pope Leo XIV's motto is "In Illo uno unum," Latin for "In the One, we are one." "The One" refers to Christ. When journalists asked him tough questions during his Africa trip, instead of dismissing their questions, the pope would start with what he and the journalist had in common.

"Let's not start with what divides us, makes us different," Kelley said.

He said that the pope's name, which translates directly to "lion" in Italian or Spanish, is fitting. While the pope is "very kind and gentle and pastoral," he is "not a pushover." Upon taking the name Pope Leo XIV, he became the first pope of that name in over 100 years. The name was an homage to Pope Leo XIII, who reinvigorated the Catholic Church's teachings on social justice at a time of enormous technological change. Kelley said that "amidst our new technological revolution," Pope Leo XIV is championing "a deeper solidarity among all human beings," influenced by previous popes' theology of the mystery of Christ and his incarnation. Kelley predicts that this theology will continue to inspire Pope Leo XIV's advocacy on behalf of the marginalized.

"What I see in his papacy is he's able to be a pastor again," Kelley said, adding that as a bishop, the pope preferred a pastoral role to an administrative one.

The panel discussion was followed by questions from the audience. One audience member asked about what Catholics can learn from Pope Leo XIV's emphasis on interfaith outreach.

"I think Leo has done a wonderful job of encouraging us to know that everybody has a broken heart," Father Hagan said, "everybody has a dream unfulfilled, everybody's made a mistake that needs forgiveness and reconciliation, no matter what race or faith or country you come from."

He pointed out that St. Augustine himself taught that, in friendship, there is God.

"I think Leo's really encouraging us to see each other that way, in the way he speaks about immigration and looking at the poor and those in the margins that we're all sisters and brothers. And I think with that attitude and disposition, we can build bridges with people of all faiths."

The final question of the night was this: If the panelists could give the pope advice, what would they tell him?

"Read for pleasure," Kelley said, noting the pope's love of classic literature.

"Don't stop playing tennis," Father Hagan said. "Take some time for yourself."

Father Dlugos agreed, joking that "we don't really need another conclave any time soon."