The B.C. Catholic’s Nicholas Elbers spoke with Father Francis Galvan, OSA, at the March for Life in Victoria, just after news broke of the election of Pope Leo XIV. The Sacred Heart, Delta, pastor is a fellow Augustinian and longtime friend of Cardinal Robert Prevost and shared his joyful reaction, personal memories, and thoughts on what the new Pope Leo XIV might bring to the Church. As General of the Augustinians in Canada, Pope Leo XIV has visited Sacred Heart several times.
What did you think of the news?
As a Filipino, in my heart, I was expecting Tagle! (Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization)
Really?
Then Prevost — he’s like a wild card. He’s our brother. I worked with him.
He actually celebrated Mass with us. He was our provincial. We were in the same province. In fact, our province just sent greetings. This was never expected.
I was so excited — a big shock — because nobody expected this. Even me, as an Augustinian, I never expected him to go as far as he has today.
On Thursday, Archbishop Miller was celebrating Mass, and someone said, “There’s white smoke.” I whispered it to him before the Gospel.
After Mass I asked, “Who do you think it’ll be?”
He didn’t know, although we Filipinos thought Tagle’s name was strong. I noticed Tagle and Prevost were always sitting beside each other.
Then when he came out — Prevost! That’s our brother! He was our provincial in Canada. Later he became general. And when he was general, I became provincial of the Canadian province. He was the one who installed me — at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Toronto. He was general when we started working with the federation.
We never expected one of us to be Pope! I by own mind he is still our brother Bob. I was so excited — shocked in a good way.
His big word was always “community.” We are of one mind and one heart, inspired by St. Augustine himself. That’s our contribution to the Church —not just as friars or Augustinians, but following the witness of St. Augustine, one of the greatest sinners who became one of the greatest theologians.
And Prevost—when we had meetings, he was always big on collaboration: “What can we do together?” Because together, we are stronger.
He assisted the process of the Canadian province being included into the Chicago province. The Canadian province was in decline and he said, instead of trying to survive on your own, come together and share your strengths—for the sake of the Church and the ministry. This is when he became our general.
As general, he was a good listener, a good organizer. He’s also a canon lawyer. He’s quiet—always the last to speak—but when he speaks, oh yeah, he summarizes the whole thing. And he speaks with such conviction—especially on social issues, defending the poor. He’s big on that. He never compromises on those issues—on the dignity of the poor and the integrity of our religious life. I’m just excited.
What are the charisms of the Augustinians?
Community life. Before we even do ministry, our common life is our primary ministry: living together, praying together, sharing our resources, friendship. That’s community life.
Our living together is a ministry in an of itself.
The Jesuits might focus on education, others on apostolate. Ours is community—one mind and one heart in God. St. Augustine’s spirit: fraternity, caring for one another, correcting one another, helping one another become more than just friends—becoming true brothers.
He avoid strong personalities because in community life a dominant person can ruin community like. Prevost is always low key, but when he contributes he is always good. He isn’t shy.
At Sacred Heart, as Augustinians, we live by veritas, unitas, caritas—truth, unity, and charity. Where truth is heard and spoken, where unity is seen and promoted, where love is experienced and lived.
So you think those things will form pillars under Pope Leo XIV?
Yeah. Most of our Augustinian schools, like Villanova University, carry those three words as our ideals.
What should people expect from the new Pope?
I can’t predict the future, but knowing him personally—he’s a good listener. Not just listening, but really understanding. He’s a canon lawyer and an Augustinian. In terms of Catholic identity and doctrine, he’ll be firm. But like Pope Francis, he emphasizes the social teaching of the Church. He promotes that strongly. The preferential option of the poor will
He is faithful to the Church and to who we are as human beings.
Do you have any thoughts on his choice of the name Leo?
That surprised me, too. Everyone expected Francis II or Benedict XVI or John XXIV. But we’re too attached to those names, and they come with certain associations. By choosing “Leo,” he’s showing something new. Father Larry mentioned Rerum Novarum—Pope Leo!
“New things that will come out.”– Rerum Novarum: the new things will come. Something new is coming. I see that for him. He will listen. There will be no clear direction and we will discern.
There is a political motivation to contrast Pope Francis with, say, Pope Benedict XVI, but by choosing Leo he separates himself from this.
Pope Leo dealt with major social issues—Marxism, capitalism—and Prevost, as an American, knows that world: commercialism, ideology.
But as a person, he lives very simply. Since his appointment as prefect for the Congregation for Bishops, our brothers say he eats breakfast with them every day. That tells me how important community is to him. In the evening, he stays in his apartment. If you eat with your brothers, you share what’s going on. But when you’re appointing bishops around the world, you need prudence. He knows what it means to be prudent and to belong to a brotherhood. He’s a community man.
Like Pope Francis wants to live with others—Prevost really does live with others. But he’s quiet. He won’t initiate conversation. He’ll just smile. But he enters into the dynamic, absorbs everything, and when he speaks—just a few words—but he captures everything.
For people worried about our doctrines or Catholic teachings—he’ll be solid. And with Pope Francis’s emphasis on caring for the poor—he’s right there, too.
He leans towards Benedict as well. He is a thinker. He wants to think things through.
Last year, I spoke with a missionary bishop visiting from Peru. We talked about Prevost. I said, “What if our own Augustinian became Pope?”
He said “no, he’s too young— it’s not possible.”
I remembered saying that to one of our Filipino brothers from Chicago—Prevost asked him to go to Rome a few months ago to help him. I teased him last week: “If our brother becomes Pope, you’ll be his personal secretary!” I called him today—he’s not answering!
When I was in Rome studying, my provincial told me: “If they offer you something, don’t accept it. Come back to Canada.”
Sure enough, about a year later, Prevost—he was our general then—said, “Can I talk to you?” He asked for a ten-year minimum commitment.
I said, “What do you mean? My whole life is a minimum commitment!” He wanted to assign me to the papal sacristy—because an Augustinian is in charge of the papal sacristy since the middle ages.
He said, “Think about it.” I said, “No. I don’t have to think. The more I think about it, the more likely I’d say yes.”
So I said no to our general. And now—he’s the Pope! Ooooh!
Later, when his term as general ended, he was just a friar again, assigned to the formation house like all of us. After my term as provincial, same thing—I was just one of the brothers again.
About a year later, he was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, Peru. I thought he was going there just as a missionary. As a young priest, he spent most of his time in Chulucanas. That’s an Augustinian mission territory.
Then suddenly, he was appointed to Rome as prefect for the Congregation for Bishops. That surprised us. It’s the highest position any Augustinian has held. After that, he was always seen traveling with Pope Francis.
He was just made cardinal in the second-last consistory. He and Tagle were promoted to the Congregation for Bishops—Cardinal Bishop, Cardinal Priest, Cardinal Deacon. So Pope Francis, Tagle, and Prevost—they’re a team.
But this was a total surprise. I couldn’t get over how excited I was. Even just as an Augustinian—he was at Sacred Heart. He visited us, stayed at the monastery, celebrated Mass there.
I told the kids today: “You know this church? The Pope celebrated Mass here!”
I could never imagine that I would know someone, but to have lived with someone who has now become Pope!
As brothers, we shook hands, gave the sign of peace. I’ve known this man for many, many years.
So I’m just so happy.
