When we get a chance to take vacation, it’s good to go somewhere familiar that you enjoy and check in with friends there – for Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, his vacation time last week in Rome, ahead of this week’s Viatorian meetings, involved seeing an old friend for a quick catchup: Pope Leo XIV.
Fr. Mark and Pope Leo XIV studied together at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Their religious lives took them separate ways over the following decades, but then the two terms they each served as superiors of their worldwide congregations overlapped almost completely. They reconnected during meetings in the Vatican and travel back and forth between Rome and Chicago over those 12 years.
Pope Leo XIV receives Fr. Mark’s gift in the Paul VI Audience Hall on January 7, 2026.
Fr. Mark attended the Papal Audience on January 7 in the grand Paul VI Audience Hall. “A group of us was given the opportunity to individually approach the Pope, greet him, and share a few words,” Fr. Mark said. “This is known as the baciamano (Italian for “hand kiss”), a very Italian traditional gesture of respect given at the point when one is presented.”
A look at the watercolor by McMahon
Fr. Mark gave Leo a special gift: a watercolor of the old entrance to CTU by Franklin McMahon (1921-2012), an “artist reporter” known for beautiful depictions of historical events, such as the Second Vatican Council.
He then got to talk with Leo for a few minutes, conversing in person for the first time since Leo’s election in the conclave. “Our meeting was very cordial, and he kidded me about being Provincial. I explained to him it was just a matter of recycling – something he knew about!” Fr. Mark said, joking about how he and Leo have each served multiple terms and various offices in leadership.
In addition to the special encounter with an old friend, Fr. Mark heard as part of the audience the launch of Leo’s new catechesis, or series of teaching messages, about the meaning and importance of the Second Vatican Council.
Through it all, he was struck by the breadth of the pope’s visibility and reach as he sat among thousands of other guests such as newlyweds, athletes, people in wheelchairs, choral groups, and others, all seeking the pope’s blessing, as CTU President Fr. Enzo Del Brocco, CP, did late last year. “It is said that the Pope is the one person most seen by people in the world, and after that experience, I can see that this is true,” Fr. Mark said.
This week, Fr. Mark is taking part in the Extraordinary General Council, a version of the General Council’s monthly meetings that expands to include provincial and regional superiors for reporting, business, and solidarity. The proceedings are some of the first gatherings in our new Viatorian residence and facility in Rome, which we established in late 2025.