VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As Pope Leo XIV’s first extraordinary consistory, or gathering of cardinals, came to a close, he announced plans to hold a second one in June on the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul, and once every year, signifying plans to further include cardinals in the leadership of the Catholic Church.
About 170 cardinals met at the Vatican on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 7 and 8). They focused on themes of synodality and evangelization — topics they discussed divided into 21 groups seated around tables. Representatives for nine of the groups — which included members of the curia, voting cardinals and nuncios — briefed the pope on the discussions after each session. All other groups sent their reflections to the pope via email.
“The pope did more listening than talking,” said Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, during a press conference at the Vatican on Thursday evening.
He said that Leo brought a notebook to the meeting, leading David to believe that the pope might be preparing some future document. “He was taking down notes very, very seriously. He must be up to something,” he said.
Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio of Colombia said the decision to hold the consistory right after the feast of the Epiphany and the closing of the Holy Door, signaling the end of the Jubilee Year on the theme of hope, was not accidental. The meeting was meant “to prepare a project of hope,” he said, “which (the pope) chose to do with the cardinals.”
Cardinals had asked for more opportunities to meet and get to know one another in the gathering ahead of the conclave that elected Pope Leo last year. Pope Francis appointed red hats all over the globe but only convened one extraordinary consistory in his 12-year pontificate.
“The pope wants to be collegial,” said South African Cardinal Stephen Brislin at the press conference. “He wants to draw on the experience and the knowledge of different cardinals coming from all different parts of the world.”
“The importance of this consistory was not only in the discussions that took place,” Brislin added, “but it gave us an opportunity as cardinals to know each other and spend time together.”
The second day of the meeting started by addressing the question of synodality, which Pope Francis promoted during his pontificate, as a means to inject more inclusion, dialogue and shared responsibility in the church. Cardinal Mario Grech, who oversees the Vatican’s synod office, opened the discussion by explaining the church’s effort to foster synodality.
After the discussions, some cardinals agreed that “synodality is still in its infancy,” said Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni at the press conference, and that “it’s necessary to build a synodality of listening.”
Bruni said the cardinals also spoke about the importance of lay participation in the leadership of the church, creating ecclesial structures that foster synodality with each member of the church. But the prelates also pointed to the “necessity for guidelines and reference points” for how to enact synodality.
Brislin observed that “there is no blueprint of synodality.” He added that some prelates felt the “need for a greater or more precise type of definition of what it means to be a synodal church,” which he described as “a disposition” toward the church and toward others.
However, the meeting of cardinals took place using a synodal style, with each member having a chance to speak and engage in small groups. “I think this is the first time ever that an extraordinary consistory is held in a synodal matter,” David said.
In the afternoon, the cardinals addressed the mission of the church, as expressed by Francis’ apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel). Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, who leads the Vatican’s department overseeing doctrine, presented the exhortation as “not an expired document,” but an essential tool to promote the church’s evangelizing mission in the world.
The cardinals spoke to the pope about the need to be close to the poor and to interpret doctrine as something alive and not detached from reality, Bruni said. They also emphasized the importance of prayer and the need to get to know the needs and concerns of people today.
The free-flowing discussion that followed, in which cardinals were limited to three-minute-long remarks, centered on the themes of formation of priests and engaging all faithful in the church’s evangelization efforts.
At the end of the meeting, Leo thanked all the cardinals for making the journey to Rome and expressed his closeness to those who could not come, Bruni said. Venezuelan Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo did not attend because his passport was confiscated by the Venezuelan government amid the rapidly escalating political situation in the country.
Bruni added that the pope said topics not addressed at this consistory, such as liturgy and the reform of the Roman curia, “have not been forgotten.” Beyond suggesting that there might be a second consistory later this year, Leo also said he intends to hold such gatherings once a year over the course of three or four days.
