LATROBE, PA – Saint Vincent College leadership recently led a group of Saint Vincent friends on a pilgrimage to Rome.
On Sept. 16, Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., C’87, S’91, PhD, president of Saint Vincent College, presented the group to His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, after the General Audience.
At that time, Father Paul offered the prayers and support of Saint Vincent College and presented Pope Leo with the recently published “American Benedictines in Peking: The Founding of Fu Jen Catholic University, 1925-1933,” edited by Dr. Jerome Oetgen, C’69, S’73.
“We are grateful, along with our fellow pilgrim travelers, to have had the honor to meet Pope Leo XIV,” Father Paul said. “He was gracious and remembered Saint Vincent from his time in Pennsylvania. His enthusiasm for our brief visit, and for meeting all the pilgrims at the Audience, was palpable. We wish him a speedy recovery and many years to lead our Church and our world.”
The Saint Vincent College leadership team also included Dr. Jeff Mallory, C’06, G’13, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Michael Andreola, vice president for philanthropy and alumni relations.
“It really was a testament to the important role that the Benedictine order has played in the history of Catholicism and of Western culture, and of Saint Vincent’s primacy as the first Benedictine presence in North America,” Andreola said of the meeting with the Holy Father. “Pope Leo was warm, gracious and displayed a wonderful sense of humor. The whole experience was a profound affirmation of the beauty and depth of our Catholic faith. The joy and faithfulness of the crowd was palpable, and it made me realize that the Catholic faith is indeed alive and growing and that the mystical attraction that the Church holds over so many remains strong.”
The pilgrimage included a visit to Monte Cassino, Saint Benedict’s first monastery, set to celebrate its 1,500th anniversary in 2029. The group also enjoyed an evening with Father Benoit Alloggia, O.S.B., at Sant’Anselmo, the Benedictine university on the Aventine Hill in Rome, and a visit to each of the major basilicas.
“This pilgrimage to Rome was an extraordinary and deeply meaningful experience. Meeting Pope Leo XIV and representing Saint Vincent College in his presence was incredibly humbling and a powerful reminder of our connection to the universal Church,” said Mallory, noting that visiting the major basilicas and other historic sites provided him with a deeper appreciation for the Benedictine tradition that is at the heart of Saint Vincent’s identity. “To walk through these sacred and historic places, where generations of Benedictines have prayed, studied and served, was both inspiring and grounding. We returned to Saint Vincent with a renewed sense of gratitude for our college and an even stronger commitment to our Catholic and Benedictine mission.”
Father Paul, Andreola and Mallory were joined by College friends Elisa Voelker-Beck; Karen Joyce; Judith Kovach; Dr. Richard Kunkle, C 67; Mary Lou McLaughlin; Mark and Marcia Sherwin; Thomas Uram and Marie Zanotti.
