Habemus papam!
Robert Francis Prevost is now Leo XIV, the first North American pope, the Vicar of Christ, and the Successor of Peter. Among many details known about his formation, we know he earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, the same year he joined the Order of Saint Augustine (Augustinians). The Augustinians are named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430), the celebrated Church Father and Doctor of the Church. Saint Augustine has had a monumental impact on how the Church understands the relationship between faith and reason, religion and science. Leo XIV was formed in this illustrious spiritual and intellectual tradition.
In honor of Leo XIV and the great Augustinian heritage, here are five Augustinian scientists you should know.
There is no better place to start than with a fellow North American priest affiliated with Villanova University! Edward Felix Jenkins was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1906. In 1931, he was ordained to the priesthood and pronounced his solemn vows with the Augustinians. In 1939, he received a doctorate in chemistry from Catholic University of America with a thesis on “Paranitrophenylacetic Acid as a Reagent for the Identification of Alcohols, Ethers, Phenols and Amines.”
Fr. Jenkins also had a dedicated interest in astronomy. He helped establish an observatory and planetarium at Villanova University and served as chairman of the astronomy department. In their 1994 paper, “The Spectroscopic Classification of White Dwarfs,” authors James Liebert and Edward M Sion include this dedication: “This paper is dedicated to the Memory of the late Rev. Edward Felix Jenkins, O.S.A., Ph.D., Founder and First Chairman of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Villanova University.”
Fr. Jenkins died in 1991. The Edward F. Jenkins, OSA Scholarship Award is given annually to astronomy and astrophysics students with a record of outstanding academic achievement.
Ángel Rodríguez Prada is another Augustinian with connections to astronomy. Ordained an Augustinian priest in 1884, Rodríguez Prada was appointed director of the Vatican Observatory in 1898 by Pope Leo XIII. In his seven years as director, he made contributions to meteorology and weather forecasting. He also contributed to the Observatory’s stellar photography catalog and theorized about atmospheric circulation in the northern hemisphere. He was a member of the French Astronomical Society and the Spanish Association for the Progress of Science.
In the last decades of his life, Rodríguez Prada published works on Augustinian spirituality and history. He died in 1935.
Manuel Blanco was a Spanish missionary and naturalist who entered the Augustinians in 1794 and professed temporary vows in 1795. After professing his fourth vow, he left for the Philippines in 1804, subsequently holding numerous leadership positions within the Augustinian Order.
Blanco is best known for writing the Flora of the Philippines According to the System of Linnaeus, one of the earliest works of its kind. The second edition of the Flora described 1,131 species and varieties. His Real Academia de la Historia biography praises the Flora: “It remains an enduring monument to botany and an unparalleled contribution of the Augustinians to Philippine science.”
Blanco died in 1845. The botanical genus Blanco was named in his honor by Carl Ludwig Blume.
Antonio Llanos was a Spanish missionary and naturalist who worked with Manuel Blanco. Ordained an Augustinian priest in 1830, Llanos served as pastor at several parishes in the Philippines.
Llanos collaborated with Blanco on the first two editions of the Flora by describing and collecting numerous specimens. He made further additions to the work after Blanco’s death.
Llanos also studied mineralogy, ornithology, and physics. He received awards at the 1867 World’s Fair in Paris and the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition. The botanical species Quercus Llanosii, Phyllanthus Llanosianus, Hypnum Llanosii, and Aglaia Llanosiana are named in his honor.
The best-known Augustinian scientist is Gregor Mendel. Mendel entered the Augustinians in 1843, professed his vows in 1846, and was ordained a priest in 1847. In 1868, he was elected abbot of St. Thomas Abbey in Brno.
Considered one of the fathers of modern genetics, Mendel established laws of inheritance based on experiments with pea plants conducted between 1856 and 1863. Mendel also introduced the terms “recessive” and “dominant” in reference to traits. Mendel’s ideas on heredity, together with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, form the basis for the modern evolutionary synthesis.
Mendel’s important contributions to meteorology are less well known. Among many contributions in this area, he published reports on storm phenomena, observed sunspots and speculated on their connection to weather, and issued some of the first forecasts for farmers in Central Europe.
At least eight botanical taxa, lunar and martian craters, and an asteroid are named in his honor. The Mendel Medal is awarded by Villanova University to outstanding scientists who demonstrate the harmony of faith and science.
In his work, Literal Commentary on Genesis, Saint Augustine encourages Catholics to understand and share scientific knowledge to provide credibility when promoting the truths of the faith. The great synthesis of faith and reason embodied by Augustine, Pope Leo XIV, Augustinian scientists, and many others in the Church’s tradition can serve as a model for Catholics exploring current and future scientific frontiers.