In an interview with US Catholic magazine, Maria Cimperman, RSCJ, a theologian and expert on religious life and synodality, provides key insights into how Pope Leo XIV’s Augustinian formation has shaped his approach to leadership. As a member of the Augustinian Order, Pope Leo XIV’s formation is rooted in a spirituality that values communal living and shared mission. Cimperman emphasizes that the pope’s stress on synodality, dialogue, community and peace is not simply about structural reform – it is about fostering deep, communal discernment and building community. It reflects a “spirituality of encounter” and a commitment to listening, especially to those on the margins.
This charism, she says, invites the Church to become more relational, more honest, and more rooted in love of God and neighbor. It’s about cultivating a Church that doesn’t just speak about community but rather embodies it through mutual care and shared mission. In her view, this approach signals not only a continuity with Pope Francis but a deepening of the Church’s call to communion through the lens of lived spirituality.
Ultimately, the article presents Pope Leo XIV’s emerging papal vision as one steeped in a theology of unity and participation and a leadership style rooted in relationality, humility, and collective discernment. It is a call for a Church that listens, journeys together, and embraces diversity and unity in a polarized, fractured world.
Section |International News
Province |United States and Canada
