BRAINTREE -- Msgr. William Fay is no stranger to popes.

Back when he was a deacon, Msgr. Fay, a professor of philosophy and theology at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, served at Masses celebrated by Pope St. Paul VI. Msgr. Fay described him as a cultured Renaissance man, "clearly an Italian from Brescia." Later, as part of his work for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the monsignor met Pope St. John Paul II.

"A man who had suffered greatly in life under Communism, and obviously under Nazism as well," Msgr. Fay said. "And he struck me as a very strong, powerful person who knew that Christ was the center of his life, and whatever was dominating him were things that were only passing and fleeting."

He also met Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI.

"I think he was one of the most misread popes in modern history," Msgr. Fay said. "He was a genteel, very warm, and very gracious man."

All of the popes he met were personable, pastoral men. When Msgr. Fay met Pope Leo XIV with pilgrims from Pope St. John XXIII on March 4, the newest pontiff turned out to be no exception.

"He looked to me as a priest and a pope who very much enjoyed bringing the Gospel of Christ to the people that he was serving," he said.

Msgr. Fay joined eight seminarians, three alumni, and several laypeople from the seminary on a pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome this March. Msgr. Fay arranged the meeting with Pope Leo XIV with the help of a friend of his in Rome. After his Wednesday audience, the pope met with the sick, newlyweds, and five additional groups who had been selected for a personal "meet-and-greet" with the Holy Father. One of those groups was the pilgrimage from Weston.

"He struck me as 100 percent pastor," Msgr. Fay said. "He came walking toward us with his arms out, smiling, and began immediately greeting the people in the group."

He added: "He was very, very cordial and reached up and let them kiss his hand and touch his hand."

One of the seminarians on the pilgrimage was Benedictine Brother Simeon Chung. Brother Simeon was in Seoul, South Korea, along with thousands of faithful who packed Yeouido Square, when Pope St. John Paul II visited in 1984. Being inches away from another pope 42 years later, he felt as though everything had come full circle.

"Meeting the Holy Father in person was, without question, one of the most profound and joyful moments of my life," he said. "To encounter him so closely was deeply moving. What stood out to me was both the spiritual weight of the moment and the simplicity of his presence."

The visit with Pope Leo XIV reminded him of God's guidance throughout his life, the same guidance that called him to the priesthood and religious life.

"Seeing the Holy Father's gentleness and devotion to the Church inspires me to pursue the priesthood with greater fidelity and generosity," he said.