LATROBE, PA – Saint Vincent College President Rev. Paul R. Taylor, O.S.B., C’87, S’91, PhD, and Saint Vincent Seminary Rector Very Rev. Edward Mazich, O.S.B., S’98, were personally received by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on May 13, 2026, at the Vatican. The audience highlighted Saint Vincent’s growing global presence within the Church and its leadership in Benedictine education.
Father Paul and Father Edward spoke with Pope Leo about Benedictine education in the United States, with particular emphasis on the distinctive mission and impact of Saint Vincent College and Seminary.
At the meeting, they presented the Holy Father with Roman Verostko’s “The Cloud of Unknowing.” The iconic Algorist work was offered to the Vatican Museum’s Modern and Contemporary Art Collection in honor of Pope Leo. Father Paul noted the significance of the selection, explaining “Pope Leo appreciated the unique algorithmic art. Knowing that the pope is a mathematician made this piece the perfect gift for the Vatican Collection.”
Verostko, C’55, S’59, H’21, is an internationally acclaimed artist and Saint Vincent alumnus. The Roman Verostko Collection, held prominently at Saint Vincent, also includes works acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and, after the acceptance of the gift, the Vatican.
Father Paul and Father Edward also presented Pope Leo with a second gift: the Saint Vincent College Training Camp edition of the Terrible Towel. The gesture underlined the College’s deep ties to Western Pennsylvania and its longtime partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to Father Paul, “Pope Leo recognized the Terrible Towel immediately, and while his NFL loyalties may be elsewhere, he sure did smile broadly at the gift.”
The audience also carried deep spiritual significance. “Meeting with Pope Leo on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima was meaningful,” Father Edward reflected. “Pope Leo also recognized that it was the 45th anniversary of the assassination attempt on Pope Saint John Paul II in Saint Peter’s Square. We all prayed together.”
While in Rome, Father Paul and Father Edward further extended Saint Vincent’s international engagement by meeting with Abbot Primate Jeremias Schroeder, O.S.B., leader of the Benedictine Order, at the Benedictine Confederation’s headquarters at Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine. Discussions focused on expanding global partnerships among Benedictine monasteries and universities, particularly through study abroad opportunities.
Saint Vincent, the largest monastery in the worldwide Benedictine Confederation, which spans six continents, continues to offer students meaningful international experiences rooted in academic excellence and spiritual formation. During the visit, Father Paul and Father Edward also connected with Saint Vincent College students and faculty currently completing summer studies at Sant’Anselmo as part of the College’s unique Summer Institute in Rome (SIIR) program. Last summer’s SIIR cohort had their own encounter with the Holy Father, being among those in attendance at the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV on May 18, 2025.
This month’s audience with the Holy Father builds on the College’s recent leadership in bringing attention to the Holy Father’s life and thought. In April, Saint Vincent hosted the United States launch of the first official biography of Pope Leo XIV, drawing national interest and scholarly engagement to campus. The College will continue to play an active role in shaping conversations about Catholic and Benedictine education on a national and international stage.
