- 24 May, 2025
ROME, May 24, 2025 — A newly unearthed doctoral dissertation of Pope Leo XIV written in the mid-1980s while studying in Rome offers rare and revealing insights into the current pontiff’s early thinking on power, leadership, and Church governance. The 167-page thesis, titled “The Office and Authority of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine”, was completed by then-Father Robert Prevost at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and submitted in 1987. Written in English, the academic work examines the roles and responsibilities of local priors in the Augustinian Order, emphasising humility, service, and community-centred leadership.
Pope Leo XIV, elected earlier this month, spent almost his entire career working for the Order of the Augustinians and rarely published public texts or speeches prior to his election. This dissertation now stands as a significant document shedding light on his philosophical and theological foundation, one that seems to inform his early messages as pontiff.
“There is no room in Augustine’s concept of authority for one who is self-seeking and in search of power over others,” then-Father Robert Prevost wrote in the text, which analyses the balance between order and freedom, obedience and love within religious communities.
The dissertation responds to the 1983 revision of canon law, reflecting how Church leadership should adapt to new legal and spiritual frameworks in the post-Vatican II era. While the subject is practical—covering issues such as how long a prior can stay in office, the structure of mandatory retreats, and how he must advertise workshops—it also delves into deeper ecclesial themes such as the misuse of power, disciplinary procedures, the necessity of humility, and the integration of administrative responsibility with spiritual care.
In the introduction of his dissertation, Father Prevost refers to the “painful struggle” since the 1960s that led to so much upheaval in the church and the wider world. Citing Pope Paul VI, who led the church from 1963 to 1978, he stresses the need for balance between the values of love and freedom and obedience and order.
Father Prevost was deeply concerned with authority and its potential for misuse. This theme is heavily influenced by St. Augustine, whom he cites several times in his thesis. Augustine had warned of the human lust for domination and emphasised the need for leaders and institutions to establish boundaries that restrain unchecked power.
In his dissertation, Father Prevost underscored that authority must function as a form of service rather than an opportunity for control. Again citing Augustine, he noted that authority in religious life is not an end in itself. "In the order, a leader’s role is to help those in the community live harmoniously, guiding them through potential pitfalls and conflicts, and to listen, discuss and respect the talent and intelligence of all. True authority, he wrote, requires trust and humility".
Then-Father Prevost also emphasised in the document the importance of listening, which is central to the Augustinian tradition. This “theology of listening” echoed in his first address from St. Peter’s balcony as pope when he called for a “synodal Church”, aligning himself with the legacy of Pope Francis, who advanced synodality during his papacy.
Another recurring theme in the document is the importance of personal relationships in smoothing the inevitable challenges of communal life, including conflicts between authorities and those they lead. Then-Father Prevost emphasised that a “collegial”, approachable authority can more easily address struggles in the community. But he also wrote that “in the end, there must also be an individual who retains the authority to make decisions and to guide the life of the religious.”
Also notable in the document is Father Prevost’s listing of offences that might lead someone to be dismissed from the order. At the same time, he also emphasises the importance of charity and sensitivity in enforcing any penalties against a member. “In the most urgent cases, if no other steps can be taken, the local Prior can, with the consent of his Council, expel a Brother from the house,” he writes. “The purpose of correcting one of the Brothers is to seek his conversion and to safeguard the life of the community.”
Toward the end of his dissertation, Pope Leo XIV clarifies that the prior’s role is more than rules and practicalities. For then Father Prevost, administration and spirituality were intertwined.
Despite its academic tone, the dissertation hints at the leadership style Pope Leo XIV is now expected to bring to the global Church: firm yet compassionate, structured yet deeply spiritual. It suggests a leader more inclined to dialogue and reform than authoritarian command—qualities Vatican insiders have already begun to associate with the new pope.
While his predecessors entered the papacy with shelves of published material, Pope Leo’s relatively obscure dissertation may become a foundational text for understanding the theological convictions and pastoral priorities that will define his pontificate.
By Ruth Graham, Elizabeth Dias and Jason Horowitz
Source: The New York Times
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