In the quiet of a hall in Sydney during the 2008 World Youth Day, Augustinian communities from around the globe gathered for the Augustinian Youth Encounter (AYE)—a celebration of faith, youth, and shared heritage. Among them were members of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation (ASOLC), including Sr. Joan Infante, OSA. Alongside Sr. Joan were Sr. Jocy Widwid, Sr. Gavina Barrera, Sr. Magdalena Tallafer, and Sr. Josie Mabini—all part of the Philippine delegation.
Sr. Joan was helping prepare the sacred space for the Eucharistic celebration when a figure quietly entered the room. It was Fr. Robert Prevost, OSA—then Prior General of the Augustinian Order. “He walked in with no announcement, no entourage,” Sr. Joan recalls. “Just a simple friar, calm and unassuming.”
Now known to the world as Pope Leo XIV, Fr. Robert’s humility stood out even then. “He didn’t carry himself with the weight of his title,” Sr. Joan shares. “He was approachable, kind, and deeply grounded. It was Augustinian humility in the flesh.”
What followed next was a moment of shared humanity that no one expected—but everyone cherished.
In a spontaneous gesture, Fr. Robert knelt in front of the sisters—not out of formality, but in pure lightheartedness. The sisters, bursting into laughter and surprise, extended their hands over him in mock blessing, teasingly playing along. The photos captured from that moment are priceless: laughter, joy, and a sense of spiritual siblinghood beyond roles and ranks.
“It was such a real moment,” Sr. Joan says. “He made us feel like family. That’s who he was—not a distant superior, but a brother in Christ.”
These images and memories have taken on new meaning today. The humble friar they once laughed with is now the Pope—the spiritual father to over a billion Catholics. Yet for the ASOLC sisters, that encounter remains a reminder of the kind of leadership the Church needs: one rooted in relationship, joy, and humility.
“In a world where power often overshadows service,” Sr. Joan reflects, “Pope Leo XIV reminds us that greatness lies in simplicity and compassion.”
She believes his papacy is an invitation for Augustinian institutions to deepen their commitment to justice and integral formation. “May we, inspired by his example, expand our outreach and let the values of St. Augustine animate every classroom, every project, every encounter.”
As they now look back at those joyful photos, one truth becomes clear: they once laughed with a pope among them—and they carry that joy as a blessing for the Church today.