(Seventh installment in a series on the Rule of St. Augustine, which can help us understand the mindset and vision of Pope Leo XIV, who lives according to this Rule.)
Leo’s Heart: Authority as Service
"The superior must be obeyed as a father with the respect due him, but he in turn must see himself as one who serves, not who lords it over others. Let him be the first in virtue, not in power."
— Rule of St. Augustine, Chapter 7
Augustine now turns his attention to leadership within the Christian community. He knows that every group needs structure and someone to guide it. But in Chapter 7, he redefines that role completely. The superior—what we might today call a leader, pastor, or even pope—is not the one who dominates, but the one who serves.
“Let him be the first in virtue, not in power.” In just a few words, Augustine upends worldly models of leadership. The one entrusted with responsibility in the community is not a ruler in the secular sense, but a father. And not a remote or distant one, but one whose authority is grounded in example and love.
The superior is to “command nothing that God’s law forbids.” This isn't a blank check for leaders to invent their own agendas—it’s a charge to lead in fidelity to Christ. The role is pastoral, not political. It's about nurturing holiness, not managing outcomes.
We see this clearly reflected in the early gestures of Pope Leo. Even as he steps into the world’s most visible role of spiritual leadership, he carries himself with the humility of one who knows he is a servant first. That’s deeply Augustinian—and deeply Christian.
Augustine, himself a bishop, knew both the burdens and the temptations of leadership. His counsel here is both wise and bracing. He reminds the superior to avoid favoritism and to correct faults firmly but gently. He urges leaders to listen, to be accessible, and to live the life they preach. For Augustine, credibility doesn’t come from status—it comes from witness.
What does this mean for us as a parish? It means asking some real questions about how we view leadership. Do we treat authority as a gift or as a threat? Do we expect our pastors and lay leaders to be managers—or shepherds? Do we offer support and prayers, or just criticism?
And for those of us in any position of leadership—whether in the Church, in the world, or in a family—Augustine’s words ask us to examine our hearts: Are we leading by example? Do we correct with love? Are we seeking holiness, or control?
This week, take a moment to pray for our leaders, especially Pope Leo, whose heart bears the weight of global responsibility. Pray that he—and all of us—may live this chapter well: with integrity, humility, and a spirit of joyful service.
Because in the Church, authority is never meant to crush. It’s meant to carry. And when it is shaped by love, it becomes not a burden, but a blessing.