An Interview with Father Anthony Kanu. OSA

by Gordon Nary

Gordon: Father Anthony, kindly introduce yourself to our audience

Father Anthony: I am a priest of the Order of Saint Augustine, Province of Saint Augustine of Nigeria, and the Prior Provincial of the Augustinians in Nigeria. I teach Philosophy and Religion at Veritas University Abuja (The Catholic University of Nigeria).

Gordon:  As Prior Provincial of the Order of Saint Augustine in Nigeria, how did you personally react to the news of Pope Leo XIV’s election?

Father Anthony: The reaction was a beautiful synthesis of the feelings of joy, honor, and gratitude. A sense of joy because the Spiritual Son of Saint Augustine has become the Vicar of Christ. His words to the crowd gathered at the Square of Saint Peter were beautiful and memorable: “I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian”. He was proud to identify with his spiritual roots.

There is a feeling of honor over the election of Pope Leo XIV. It is an honor that the Princes of the Church at the last conclave saw in Cardinal Prevost an embodiment of the Augustinian charisms, and said to themselves: “We think that the time is right now for the Augustinian set of gifts to lead the way”. With his coat of arms: “In Illo uno unum” (In Him who is one, we are one), these gifts have begun to enrich the Church.

It was also a feeling of gratitude because this is the first time in the historical evolution of the Church for an Augustinian to become Pope, and we are privileged to witness this great historical curve that will usher in great beginnings. It is a thing of gratitude that our Augustinian brother has been found worthy of such an important office of service in the Church.

Gordon: What does the election of Pope Leo XIV signify for the Order of Saint Augustine, particularly for its members in Nigeria, and across the circumscriptions in Africa?

Father Anthony: As Prior General of the Order, Pope Leo XIV had a great interest in the growth of the Augustinian circumscriptions in Africa. He visited Nigeria on several occasions. In 2001, he was present for the Canonical Erection of the Province of Saint Augustine of Nigeria. In 2003, he was present at the Mid-Chapter of the Province of Nigeria. In 2008, he was in Nigeria for the episcopal ordination of Bishop John Niyiring, OSA of the Diocese of Kano. In 2012, he was present for the Ordinary Chapter of the Province of Nigeria. In 2016, he was in Nigeria for the Mid-General Chapter of the Order. What this means for us in Nigeria and the entire continent of Africa is that Pope Leo XIV will relate to Africa with the heart of an Augustinian. As a bridge builder, he will walk with the Church in Africa with care, love, and as a companion on the journey.

Gordon:  Pope Leo XIV has a rich background in Augustinian formation and leadership. How might his experiences as former Prior General of the Order influence his approach to the papacy?

Father Anthony: The Augustinian Order is a centuries-old religious Order that has focused on community and charity. Pope Leo XIV is a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, and having served in various capacities where he was a custodian of these values, offers a window into what type of Pontiff he may be. The Augustinian ideal, after the ethos of the fourth-and-fifth century thoughtful and empathetic theologian saint who was dedicated to specific family thought: unity, harmony, friendship, charity, and service, are ideals that Pope Leo XIV embodies. Quoting Saint Augustine, he said during his first address to the faithful gathered at Saint Peter’s Square, and in fact to the whole Church: “With you, I am a Christian, for you a Bishop” reveals how he is not only steeped in the teachings of Saint Augustine but his readiness to live it by listening not just to the higher-ups but also to individuals and the different threads in the world. This is the kind of Church that the world needs at this time.

These ideals must have influenced the Roman Pontiff’s choice of the name Leo XIV. Leo the Great was known for promoting peace, building bridges, and showing that peaceful agreements can be reached without violence. This is also evident in the papacy of Pope Leo XIII. It is, therefore, not surprising that the first words of Pope Leo XIV to the People of God were: “Peace be with you”. This greeting used by Jesus after His resurrection is an announcement of a new era for the Church.

Gordon: Pope Leo XIV has chosen a name that evokes strong historical resonance with Pope Leo XIII, known for his leadership during the Industrial Revolution. What significance do you see in Pope Leo XIV adopting this name in our current Digital Revolution?

Father Anthony: Pope Leo XIII played a pivotal role in shaping Catholic Social Teaching, particularly with his groundbreaking 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of Workers). This document laid the foundation for modern Catholic social doctrine, especially Pope Pius XI’s Quadragesimo Anno, and Pope John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens. Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII addressed the rights and dignity of workers amidst industrialization. He advocated for a living wage, safe working conditions, reasonable hours, and the right to form labor unions. This was necessary as the Industrial Revolution significantly impacted the dignity of workers, often undermining it due to harsh working conditions and exploitation.

Our age is one of the Digital Revolution, significantly manifested in the emergence and development of Artificial Intelligence, among others. Following the path of Pope Leo XIII, whose name he has chosen, there is a sense in which we can make connections. While Pope Leo XIII addressed the concerns of workers emerging from the Industrial Revolution, Pope Leo XIV will not be silent about the concerns emerging from the Digital Revolution (Artificial Intelligence). There are concerns about Artificial Intelligence negatively impacting workers as the Industrial Revolution did. He will be addressing the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence, automation, and digital inequality. He will also be addressing the question of human dignity in the face of the Digital Revolution.

Gordon: Do you foresee Pope Leo XIV's election inspiring a renewed interest in religious vocations within Nigeria, given his track record of engaging the youth during his past visits to Nigeria?

Father Anthony: The election of an Augustinian as Pope is not only inspiring renewed religious vocations in Nigeria, but will do the same eventually all over the world. Since the election of Cardinal Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, I have received several letters in my email from young men requesting to join the Augustinian Order. His unique choice of words, decorum, holiness, and sense of calmness and stability are what the young people of our times are looking for. It is, therefore, not surprising that this light will animate, inspire, and conjure their spirits to tread on new grounds.

Gordon What message would you like to convey to the faithful in Nigeria regarding this historic moment, and how can they actively participate in the vision set forth by the new pontiff?

Father Anthony: Every Vicar of Christ is a gift to the Church, given that he comes with something new, which is a manifestation of the work of the Holy Spirit. I will, therefore, encourage the faithful in Nigeria and beyond to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church through him, and through obedience to the Vicar of Christ, become partners with the Holy Spirit in the achievement of the divine purpose.

Gordon: In your opinion, where does Pope Leo XIV stand in the dialectics of ideologies between the conservatives and liberals in the Hierarchy of the Catholic Church?

Father Anthony: Pope Leo XIV is a balanced personality. It is in this sense that we speak of him as a gift to the Church, especially at this time when there is so much discussion on the dialectics of ideologies between conservatives and liberals. I am not in doubt that this aspect of him must have influenced his choice among the college of cardinals. His choice is a response to the present need of the Church.

Gordon: As a Major Superior, what does a legacy of two successive popes being foundationally religious priests portend for Religious Life globally?

Father Anthony: To have two successive Popes as religious is an eloquent testament to the fact that Consecrated Persons are not only part of the Church but play a vital role in the life of the People of God, contributing to its mission and spiritual growth. Lumen Gentium gave due consideration to the role and mission of consecrated persons in the life of the Church.  Although it speaks of the incorporation of the faithful into the Church, the grace of divine adoption, and the universal call to holiness, it explains how the vocation of the religious expresses in the Church a type of Christian and evangelical life that is unique. It defined the identity of a religious in terms of being conformed to Christ rather than of doing. The Council’s argumentation takes baptism as its starting point, recognizing that with the profession of the evangelical counsels, those who consecrate themselves to the service of God in the Church can derive “more abundant fruit from this baptismal grace”. The legacy of two religious priests as successive popes echoes the richness and beauty that Consecrated Persons bring to the Church.

Gordon: Thank you for an exceptional interview and for your leadership in Nigeria.