Rachael Kama, a participant in the 2025 Good Samaritan Study, Accompaniment and Mentoring (SAM) Program for women, said she experienced “the best day of my life” when celebrating Pope Leo’s birthday with him in Rome recently.
As a lay Augustinian leader, Rachael was one of three people selected globally to attend the 188th General Chapter of the Order of the Society of Augustinians in the Vatican earlier this month. The General Chapter is held every six years, and this was the first time laity were invited to attend and present to the group.
Including the laity was an initiative of Pope Leo, or Father Bob as Rachael knows him from her decades-long work with the Augustinians. The three lay representatives were diverse faces from around the world – Rachael, a Tongan woman from Western Sydney representing Australasia; Liliana from Peru representing Latin America; and Luis representing Europe and the UK.
They were joined by more than 70 priests and three nuns from different contemplative monasteries around the world.
Rachael gave a presentation to the Chapter on the topic of youth and young adults and spoke about the general challenges, opportunities and recommendations for the Augustinians in Australia and Africa.
Rachael is the Diocese of Parramatta’s Parish Engagement Coordinator and belongs to Holy Spirit Parish at St Clair, which has been in the pastoral care of the Order of St Augustine for more than 30 years, a community which she said had not only nurtured her faith but shaped her identity as a Lay Augustinian.
“The election of Pope Leo XIV was a moment of deep joy and reflection,” she said. “As the first pope from the Augustinian order, his papacy brings the spirit of our Augustinian community to the heart of the universal Church.”
Further reading
Pilgrim leader, Rachael Kama celebrates with Pope Leo on his birthday by Anita Sulentic in Catholic Outlook.
We have a new Pope! by Debra Vermeer in The Good Oil.
Mentoring, collaboration and fellowship support women in leadership program by Debra Vermeer in The Good Oil.
