On July 4, 2025, the Order’s top leaders had a private audience at the Vatican with the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori pledged the loyalty and prayers of the 2.1 million Knights for the Holy Father’s ministry, and they briefed Pope Leo on the Knights’ global charitable works and faith initiatives catholicreview.org. The Pope, having prior familiarity with the Knights (his own brother is a member), was very engaged in the conversation – he asked particularly about the Knights’ new “Cor” faith formation program for men, showing keen interest in this initiative for evangelization catholicreview.org. (The Knights presented Pope Leo with several meaningful gifts, including rare editions of St. Augustine’s writings, honoring the Pope’s Augustinian roots catholicreview.org.)