The Augustinian Family of Peru prepares their hearts to welcome Pope Leo XIV

The Augustinian Family of Peru is eagerly preparing for the apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV, which will take place from November 11 to 17, 2026. The Augustinian communities want this event to be much more than a mass celebration: an opportunity to renew faith, strengthen fraternity, and revitalize the mission of the Church.

Since September, the Order of Saint Augustine and the Order of Augustinian Recollects have been promoting various initiatives to accompany this journey of preparation. Under the motto “Augustinians with the Pope: an encounter that calls us,” the Peruvian Augustinian Family proposes living the visit through three fundamental dimensions: vocation, fraternity, and mission.

Leo XIV’s return to Peru has a particularly profound meaning. The country, where the Holy Father carried out much of his pastoral and episcopal ministry, will welcome him again, this time as the successor of Peter. For the Augustinian Family, the encounter also represents the joy of welcoming a brother who shares the spirituality of Saint Augustine.

A prayer book to prepare the heart

Among the preparatory initiatives is the presentation of the Augustinian Prayer Book (Devocionario Agustino), a spiritual publication that brings together various prayers to accompany the faithful before, during, and after the Pope’s visit.

Under the subtitle “Prayers to prepare the heart, live the encounter, and renew our mission,” the material proposes a simple and deeply Augustinian itinerary, designed so that the experience is not limited to the days of the visit but bears lasting fruit in the communities.

The prayer book is organized into three moments. The first invites us to prepare our hearts through prayer, the inner search for God, and the recognition of the Church’s unity. The second proposes praying for Pope Leo XIV, for his ministry, for the Church, and for Peru, especially asking for families, young people, and those who suffer most. Finally, the third moment encourages us to give thanks for what has been experienced and to transform the joy of the encounter into a renewed commitment to service and mission.

One of the prayers expresses the meaning of this preparation:

“May it not be merely a moment of celebration, but an opportunity to draw closer to you, strengthen our faith, and feel part of your Church.”

The publication, identified with the project Augustinians with the Pope, also reflects one of the fundamental aspirations of Augustinian spirituality: to walk with one heart and one soul directed toward God.

A family united by vocation, fraternity, and mission

The preparation for the visit is also fostering encounters among the different realities of the Augustinian Family in Peru. Religious, laity, and communities share the desire to live these days as an opportunity to deepen what unites them and renew their commitment to evangelization.

In a message published on October 30, Friar Nelson Pinzón, OSA, provincial vicar, recalled that the visit invites us to recognize the different vocations that enrich ecclesial life and to put our gifts at the service of others. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between Augustinians and Augustinian Recollects, accompanying young people, being close to families, and caring for those most in need.

This spiritual preparation is part of an event that will take the Holy Father to Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa. Beyond the scheduled encounters, the Augustinian communities wish that his presence contributes to strengthening ecclesial communion and missionary commitment.

The Augustinian Prayer Book summarizes this vision in its final prayer, which asks God to make the Augustinian Family a community that “listens, loves, and serves.” An invitation for Pope Leo XIV’s visit not to end with his departure, but to continue bearing fruit in the daily lives of the faithful.