Deacon Andrew Saunders reflects on his chance encounter with a former student, Deacon Joe Stillo and the future Pope Leo XIV at Sant’ Andrea della Valle in Rome.  To learn more about this amazing and unusual encounter please click on the read more for a video introduction and an article which appeared in the Trenton Monitor written by Deacon Joe Stillo.

To watch the video Introduction

To read the Trenton Monitor article by Deacon Joe Stillo please click here

A Chance Encounter with a Former Student and the Future Pope

By Deacon Andrew Saunders

Last February I had the privilege to go on a pilgrimage to Rome as part of the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee declared by Pope Francis. Throughout my time in Rome, the health of Pope Francis was on everyone’s mind with prayers for his recovery and healing. Little did we know he would go home to the Lord on Easter Monday.

Deacon Joe Stillo and Deacon Andrew Saunders at Sant’ Andrea della Valle

As part of the pilgrimage, I participated in a special Jubilee of Deacons weekend with my fellow deacons from around the world. For the English-speaking deacons, the weekend began with midday prayer on Friday afternoon at Sant’ Andrea della Valle (the Church of St. Andrew of the Valley). It is a minor Basilica dedicated to my namesake St. Andrew. As I approached the Basilica standing outside in front with a green event volunteer jacket on was Deacon Joe Stillo, from the Diocese of Trenton, a former student at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology diaconate formation program.

I was fortunate to get a seat in the Cathedral of St. Andrew about two rows back from a cardinal and deacon leading us in prayer. Afterwards the cardinal hosted a presentation and question-and-answer session for the deacons. We did not know much about him other than he was the Prefect for the Dicastery of Bishops, was American, an Augustinian, and was from Chicago. His name was Robert Prevost.

I immediately liked this cardinal. His approach was pastoral and welcoming. He had great command of the issues facing our Church and answered our questions directly with candor. He impressed me considerably and gave me much encouragement for the future! While his remarks were directed toward deacons, his message was universal. He spoke about the Church responding to the sign of the times through collaboration and working as a community and team to engage the world in our mission as baptized Christians to announce the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Little did we know two months later he would become the first American Pope!!