Perhaps those who celebrated most the news of Cardinal Robert Prevost being elected Pope Leo XIV were his Augustinian brothers in Chicago, many of whom have known him for over 40 years.

“Equanime” and “amigable” — or “stable” and “amicable” in English — those are two of the words his fellow Augustinians have used to describe Pope Leo.

“I used the word in Spanish, ‘equanime,’ which is very stable,” said Augustinian Bishop Daniel Turley when describing Pope Leo. “He’s moderate in his expressions.” 

Bishop Turley retired to Chicago after serving for 25 years as bishop of Chulucanas, Peru. He has known Pope Leo since he was a student, and ministered with the future pontiff in Peru.

“I knew him since he was about 18. He’s a very good Augustinian,” Bishop Turley said. “The charism of the Augustinians is about community, the local people and the communion with the people of God.”

Like many people, Bishop Turley knew Cardinal Prevost was mentioned as a possible candidate for pope, but thought being an American would keep him from being elected.

“There’s a lot of things about this that are amazing,” Bishop Turley said. “He’s got a lot of things going for him. The other thing about it is he is just a pleasant person to be with.”

It has been a busy time for the Augustinians.

“We’ve been inundated with people wanting to talk to us and ask all kinds of questions,” said Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, rector of St. Rita of Casica Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western Ave., two days after the election.

“It’s still kind of surreal because he’s still our brother Bob,” said McCarthy, who met Pope Leo 42 years ago when McCarthy entered the community. The pope, who was about 10 years ahead of McCarthy in formation, was already a missionary in Peru.

He is a “true Chicagoan,” McCarthy said, and loved going to White Sox games and going out for a pizza.

“He’s such a good a guy. You could say, ‘Well, yeah, everyone will say that,’ but he really is,” McCarthy said. “He’s got a nice sense of humor. He loves talking with people. He’s just a fun guy to be with. And he’s such an easy guy. He’s himself. We know who he is. I can’t wait for the world and for the church to find out who he is. He’s just a good, gracious gentleman.”

Pope Leo spent some time teaching at St. Rita High School while he was a student at Catholic Theological Union, McCarthy said. As a bishop, the pope returned to visit the school and celebrate Mass with the students.

“He was just a very good Augustinian and a very good priest,” McCarthy said. “I think being a missionary really shaped his life.”

As provincial of the Midwest Augustinians, Pope Leo appointed McCarthy as president of St. Rita High School when McCarthy  was just 35.

Pope Leo’s election will draw attention to the Augustinian community, said McCarthy, who is also the vocation director for the Midwest Augustinians.

“As vocation director, we’ve been seeing a resurgence of young people really connecting with Augustine. I think this will just multiply that by many,” he said.

Augustinian Father John Lydon, director of formation for the Augustinians in Hyde Park, shared a home with Pope Leo from 1990 to 1999 in Trujillo, Peru, when the two young priests were assigned at the same parish.

He thinks Leo XIV “will be a blessing for the church and the world” because he stands with the poor and respects their dignity and he listens to people.

“He’s ‘amigable,’ we would say in Spanish,” Lydon said. “Easy to get along with. He’s level-headed.”

Being organized and a good manager will also be helpful, he said.

He liked to cook to relax, sometimes making pizza, because at that time, it wasn’t generally available in Trujillo, Lydon said.

“Being from Chicago, he liked deep dish,” Lydon said. “But we were poor, so we had to make it really thin so everyone could have a piece.”

Lydon and Pope Leo XIV attended Villanova at the same time, graduating the same year. Then-Father Prevost ended up in Trujillo in 1987, founding the parish where Lydon joined him three years later.