« He thought all the students came by car »: Pope Leo XIV brought a visit to Flemish School (Kontich) 20 years ago in Learning Pilot Jacket (Kontich)

« Only the day before did we have received a question from the Paters Augustijnen, who are part of the school board, whether the general superior – who was visiting in Belgium – could visit the school, » Luc Vercammen recalls. « They had told him that we were another Augustinian school and that was very interested in him. »

« Traditionally, the Augustinians were always an educational order. They were even the largest for the French Revolution. With Sint-Rita Campus College and Sint-Rita Campus technology we are still the only one in Flanders. »

« I still see him coming, in a leather pilot jacket, a stark contrast with the delegation of the Belgian Augustijnen, » the director laughs. « I gave the man a tour and explanation about our mission, in which he was very interested. I remember him as a very friendly and amiable man, very listening also. »

All students by car

« He also spoke with a few students at the time. He asked where the parking of the school was because he thought all the students were coming by car. »

« Coincidentally, we had a general meeting of the school board last week that still contains a few Augustinians and we heard that one of the Papabili was an Augustijn. So we were curious. »

« On Thursday I just got out of a meeting and was just in time to see the announcement of the new pope on television. When Pope Leo XIV appeared on the balcony, it was very special: I know that man, I thought. I still shaken that hand. I may have to be one of the only Flemish people who had already shook the hand of the new pope for us then. »

« Unfortunately we have not found any pictures of it until now. I also fear a bit. It was actually just before the ‘smartphone era’ where everything is automatically captured more and faster. But I will still dive into the archive, who knows. »