Villanova President Father Peter M. Donohue Appears On Today Show

Villanova University President Father Peter M. Donohue appeared on the Today Show on Friday, May 9 to discuss the election of Pope Leo XIV, a 1977 Villanova graduate and the first pope from both the United States and the Augustinian Order.

Donohue, a longtime friend of Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, recounted the moment he learned that a close friend had become the supreme Pontiff.

“I was actually in a restaurant in Chicago having lunch with some friends… the TV in the restaurant came on saying there’s white smoke, and I asked the manager to turn up the sound because we couldn’t hear it,” Donohue said. “When he walked out and said ‘Roberto Francesco, Cardinale,’ I was, I screamed in this restaurant. I mean, nobody really expected it. We talked about it, but nobody really was like ‘oh yeah, he’s gonna get it, he’s the frontrunner.’”

Donohue said that Prevost preserves a close relationship with his alma mater, typically visiting campus every time he returns to the United States… perhaps a harbinger of papal visits to come.

“Whenever he comes to the United States, he usually stops by the University. We gave him an honorary degree a couple years ago,” Donohue said. “He’s been very involved, he was on the board of trustees for a very short amount of time… he’s very simple, he’s very gentle, he’s not boastful at all. He’s a very intelligent man and he loves engaging with people.”

The First Augustinian Pope

Donohue went on to describe the significance of Prevost as the first Augustinian pope elected, pointing out the rarity of a member of a religious order — as opposed to a member of a church diocese — taking the office.

“As an Augustinian our emphasis, our charism, is building community,” Donohue said. “I think it will be really important to him to bring that charism to what he does. He’s been very engaged in the charism of building community.”

The Today Show hosts asked Donohue how he expects Prevost to lead the church, noting that Pope Francis chose his own path rather than “following any neat definitions.” Donohue said he expects a similarly unique approach from Leo.

“For 12 years as Prior General of the Augustinians he travelled the world and was involved in a lot of different cultures and really engaged in those cultures, uniquely as to what they are. So I think he’ll be a person that’s very global in how he looks at the world,” Donohue said. “I think in many ways he’s going to follow Francis in a lot of the thought: and Francis did elevate him.”

Naturally, the Today Show hosts ended the segment in light-hearted fashion, asking Donohue whether he’d seen the memes tying Leo XIV to the success of Villanova Hoops — he has — and whether Leo XIV’s election might indicate divine favor for the ‘Villanova Knicks’ trio of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, currently up 2-0 in their Eastern Conference Semifinals series with the heavily favored Boston Celtics.

Good Catholic that he is, Donohue didn’t take the bait, but he did hold up two fingers in a ‘V for Villanova’ sign, saying “who knows.”

You can watch the full segment here.