Consistory: 178 Cardinals take part in the first session with Pope Leo

Vatican News

A total of 178 cardinals were present on Friday, 26 June, for the opening session of the Extraordinary Consistory convened by Pope Leo XIV.

After celebrating Mass in St Peter’s Basilica at 9:30am, the cardinals moved to the Paul VI Hall, where they gathered at their assigned working tables. The participants were divided into eight groups of diocesan cardinal electors (including apostolic nuncios and cardinal electors who have completed their service as diocesan bishops) and ten groups comprising cardinals serving in the Roman Curia together with non-elector cardinals.

Following the singing of the Veni Creator, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, who moderated the first session, formally opened the proceedings and invited Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, to offer his greeting. Pope Leo XIV then delivered an introductory address.

Cardinal Ryś’s biblical meditation

At the conclusion of the Pope’s address, Cardinal Rueda Aparicio underlined the Holy Father’s request for the support of the cardinals and assured him of their faith, joy and readiness to assist. He then introduced the session’s theme, “In what kind of world are we called to proclaim the Gospel?”, before inviting Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś to offer a biblical meditation.

The Polish cardinal introduced the group’s reflections on the “sufferings, tensions and questions that run through today’s peoples and ecclesial communities” and on the “signs of hope, fidelity to the Gospel and possible reconciliation” to be brought into the shared discernment.

Group discussions

After an extended period of silent prayer, the cardinals met in their respective working groups to share their reflections. Each group determined the timing of its own short break before reconvening in plenary assembly at 12:10pm Secretaries from all eight groups of the first section and four groups of the second presented reports on their discussions.

Across all groups there was a profound awareness of the suffering experienced by men and women living through a period of deep social transformation.

Among the principal concerns identified in response to the first question were increasing polarisation within societies and communities, generating political tensions and violence and fuelled by social divisions, misinformation and forms of communication that fail to foster encounter. Participants noted that such polarisation makes governance and peaceful coexistence more difficult, while violence is increasingly seen as a means of resolving disputes, leading to personal antagonism, aggression and, internationally, wars and conflicts.

Several groups also highlighted the suffering caused in many parts of the world by the lack of respect for religious and ethnic minorities, undermining religious freedom and giving rise to hostility, and at times violence, particularly against the Church. Some groups also pointed to the growing phenomenon of antisemitism.

Many working groups reflected on excessive individualism, the crisis of the family, and the growing loneliness experienced by both elderly people and young people, identifying these as contributing factors to even more serious problems, including rising suicide rates and drug use. Much attention was also given to the challenges facing young people amid economic and financial crises and difficulties in the labour market.

At the heart of many interventions was the awareness of a widespread sense of distrust, fatalism and powerlessness towards institutions, democracy and the future, linked also to declining birth rates, the growth of criminal organisations, youth delinquency and drug trafficking. Several groups highlighted the role of secularism, the loss of transcendent and spiritual values, and the diminishing sense of life’s meaning, together with a growing weariness and the absence of a shared understanding of truth, which make it more difficult to recognise the other and build authentic relationships.

Participants also stressed the need to address migration in a humane and Christian way, recognising how it is reshaping peoples, societies and communities while making effective integration policies increasingly urgent amid new forms of exclusion. The ecological crisis, corruption and the hardships of life in large cities were also discussed.

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The Church as a welcoming mother

Faced with these realities, all the groups emphasised that the Church must present herself as a mother and a welcoming home, including through the renewal of parish life. The Church, they said, must be capable of acknowledging her own shortcomings, helping suffering become an opportunity for growth, and reminding the world that humanity is one family.

A strong awareness also emerged of the responsibility entrusted to the Church at this particular moment in history. Many groups observed that, while numerous institutions are experiencing a crisis of credibility, the Church is called to speak with authority in defence of human dignity, peace, reconciliation and the common good. Especially where she remains close to those who suffer, the Church discovers a credibility that many other institutions have lost.

Participants described the Church as an expert in authentic relationships, looking upon the world with compassion. They noted that many young people are showing a growing thirst for the Gospel and can help build a better world through closeness and solidarity. Synodality was described as a providential path for both the Church and humanity in seeking answers to today’s challenges. Charity and solidarity were highlighted as authentic witness offered by generous lay men and women, while migrants were recognised as a blessing for the communities that welcome them. The Church, participants said, continues to work for peace and for the inclusion of all within communities of faith.

Several groups also pointed to the powerful witness offered by the Church wherever she lives as a minority, a “little flock” among many peoples of the world. Education was highlighted as a place where the common good can be rebuilt, while growing vocations, popular devotion and the joyful faith of the People of God were all identified as signs of hope.

Participants also spoke of the importance of rejecting violence, promoting dialogue—including ecumenical and interreligious dialogue—and recognising prayer as fundamental in sustaining peace. In this context, some groups referred to the Holy Father’s recent Apostolic Journey to Spain and described Pope Leo’s words as a loyal and free voice in the present age.

The Pope’s concluding remarks

Pope Leo remained present until the beginning of the group discussions before returning shortly before the plenary session resumed.

At the conclusion of the group reports, he briefly thanked those present and once again stressed the importance of participation and dialogue. Referring to Cardinal Ryś’s meditation and the image of the man left half dead, the Pope said: “If we are not blind, it is true that there is so much suffering.”

Loneliness and suffering, he continued, are among the consequences of today’s society. The Church responds to this challenge by inviting everyone into communion, not only by opening churches and celebrating the sacraments, but also by creating opportunities and experiences of genuine encounter.

The morning session concluded with the recitation of the Angelus, with the cardinals scheduled to reconvene at 4:00pm for the afternoon session.