By coincidence, the Papal Conclave began its work toward electing a new pope on the same day that I began my journey toward joining the Order of the Daughters of the King. Within hours–not days or weeks–a dark horse came riding out of the suburbs of Chicago to be named America’s First Pope. Moments later,  the world learned that Pope Leo XIV was part of the Order of Saint Augustine

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St. Augustine
Image Credit: Wikipedia

Robert Prevost did not enter the papal conclave as a favorite pick to follow Pope Francis, who was a member of the Jesuit Order. You see, most people never considered that an American would be elected as Pope. In my humble opinion, I believe that God heard the USA weeping and sent us an American Pope to help heal it from the Dark Maga movement and its pseudo religion of White Nationalism. I won’t call it White Christian Nationalism. The Maga Movement has been an insult to the effort to be more Christ-like. I consider America’s First Pope to be a Miracle.

To further distinguish Pope Leo XIV from Maga and Trump, one of the main tenets of the Order of St. Augustine is its devotion to truth. I suspect that every American knows that the Maga Movement is totally opposite. Trump’s platform has been almost exclusively one of deceit and lies.

“The pursuit of truth through learning is key to the Augustinian ethos, balanced by the injunction to behave with love towards one another. These same imperatives of affection and fairness have driven the order in its international missionary outreach.^[5] This balanced pursuit of love and learning has energised the various branches of the order into building communities founded on mutual affection and intellectual advancement.” Wikipedia 

Various Religious Orders Subscribe to Any of Several Unique Codes of Conduct.

“Jesuits are dedicated to serving others and seeking God in all things, with a particular focus on education, research, and various spiritual and social ministries.” Googe AI

“The Franciscan order’s primary mission is to live out the Gospel message through service, specifically by caring for the poor and marginalized, while also promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation. They strive to embody the values of St. Francis of Assisi, including a simple life, charity, and reverence for all creation. This includes supporting missions, building infrastructure, and educating others about their work.”

“Out of the 266 popes, 34 have belonged to a religious order, including the newly elected Pope Leo XIV [Robert Prevost]. Prevost, a Chicago native, was the first American to be elected Pope. Before Prevost, the last pope from a religious order was Pope Francis, who was a Jesuit.”

While most people know that the Catholic Church has several Different Religious Orders, Many May Not Know that other groups–Including the Anglicans and the Episcopalians also have several religious orders.

You might be surprised to know that there are female as well as male religious orders.

Our part-time female priest belongs to the Franciscan Order.

While most people know that the Catholic Church has several Different Religious Orders, Many May Not Know that other groups–Including the Anglicans and the Episcopalians also have several religious orders.

What Is Meant by the Word Order in the Term Religious Order?

“In “religious order,” the word “order” signifies a structured, organized community of individuals bound by shared religious vows and practices. It refers to the established system of rules, vows, and disciplines that guide the members of the community.” Google 

Allow me to return to the events of my past two days. I’ll continue to talk about the coincidences therein:

What Is My Personal Religious Order?

In the first session of my Daughters of the King Pledge Class, our facilitator asked the members to formulate our own personal religious orders. That challenge confused me.

Before that task was assigned, I had limited my understanding of Religious Orders to groups of people who wear brown Friar Tuck Gowns and who walk about monasteries chanting. This challenge helps me understand that an order is also about a structured set of religious practices–and that this structured list of practices might pertain either to a group or to a single person.

The Order of the Daughters of the King has a formalized statement of its tenets and practices. Now, I see my task of establishing the structure of my participation in that organization as a type goal-setting task, and I am a goal-setting pro. But when I take my vows to formally join the International Order of Daughters of the Kings, my promise to keep my goals will become a bit more weighty than that of jotting down my New Year’s Resolutions every December 31. It will become a solemn vow made before God in a formal church ceremony. [Visions of Maria taking her vows in the Sound of Music Dance in My Head, but I am Prone to Exaggeration.]

With all this in mind, I have begun creating a structure for my daily life as a pilgrim on my own religious journey–under the broader net of the Order of the Daughters of the King.

More coincidences:

 Two Sundays ago, our priest announced that he had ordered copies of the Episcopalian Devotion: Forward Day by Day.. I failed to pick up a copy that day, and I felt like I had missed that opportunity. Yesterday, Our Daughters Facilitator brought a copy to a meeting, and I snagged one. 

Teach Me to Pray

From the very beginning of the Daughters Training program, I have stated that one of my main goals is to learn how to pray earnestly in an unflowery, people-pleasing way. Last night I began what I plan to make one of my commitments: to study and reflect on the Forward Devotional and to glean a personal message and any of several prayers from within those readings:

Forward Reading & Reflection: Wednesday May 7, 2025 — Take Time to Be Holy

Forward Reading & Reflection: Wednesday May 8, 2025 — Working on Being More Humble

My Personal Religious Order

1. Repeat the Daughters of the King Motto Daily
2. Repeat the Collect of Purity Daily
3. Formally Read and Reflect Upon a Forward Devotional Daily
4. Take Time to Be Holy Daily – Go Out into My Garden and Listen for the Voice of God There,
5. Create a List of Prayers I Find in Scriptures and Collects 

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