June 18, 2026
St. Mary’s University President Winston Erevelles, Ph.D., joined a group of presidents from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities for a seminar in Rome earlier this month, including a life-changing opportunity to visit with Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope.
“It was a privilege to attend the 2026 ACCU Rome Seminar. Held in collaboration with the Lay Center, the event brought together 21 presidents of Catholic colleges and universities for five days of pilgrimage, visits and deep discussions with members of the Curia,” Erevelles said. “My wife, Dr. Chris Erevelles, attended the seminar as part of the spouse’s program. The highlight of the trip was a private audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.”
Erevelles described the pope’s address as “thought-provoking and inspiring.”
In his remarks, Pope Leo underscored that technological advances pose challenges to educators around the world, adding that “we must be willing to invest generously in the education of future generations.”
“It is crucial that young men and women learn to engage positively with new technologies, while at the same time truly developing their God-given skills and capacities to reason, to think critically and commit knowledge to memory, thus preparing them to shape responsibly the world to come,” Pope Leo said.
Erevelles reflected that coming on the heels of the Papal Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, “it was inspiring to hear the Holy Father underscoring the decisive importance of Catholic education in today’s world.”
“As we move forward with our strategic plan, Momentum 2032, I am filled with a sense of purpose and focus as we work to strengthen St. Mary’s University and prepare the leaders of the future,” Erevelles said.
