Consistory: First day of discussions concludes with a focus on peace

Vatican News

The afternoon session of the Extraordinary Consistory, held on June 26, in the Paul VI Hall, opened with prayers for the “painful situation in Venezuela” and for the many victims of the recent earthquake.

The session, entitled “The Culture of Power and the Civilization of Love,” was devoted to reflection on Chapter Five of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. It began with a common prayer and was moderated by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, who then invited Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, to deliver the introductory address. Pope Leo XIV attended the opening of the session and returned later for the plenary meeting.

War must not be normalized

The discussions then got underway. Eleven groups reported back to the assembly—eight from the first set and three from the second. All addressed the challenges of the present time, highlighting “the dehumanizing force of the culture of power, its universal reach, the temptation to conform to the logic of the powerful, and the normalization of war and polarization, which lower society’s tolerance for violence and encourage dangerously simplistic approaches to resolving conflicts,” according to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office.

Against this backdrop, the participants stressed the responsibility to build peace and a civilization of love. They also emphasized the importance of offering a credible witness—beginning within the Church itself—through a language centered on people: one of listening, forgiveness, reconciliation, restorative justice, and concrete gestures. Such a language, they said, is capable of touching the hearts of those caught up in conflict, acknowledging the wounds caused by war, and fostering the search for unity within the Church.

The responsibility to build peace

The discussion also underscored that unity within the Church is essential to its credibility, as is dialogue with other faiths and religions, particularly Islam. At a time when the globalization of indifference makes people increasingly insensitive to the suffering of others, every individual is called to take responsibility for building peace.

In this context, all the groups reaffirmed the centrality of faith in Christ and of the Gospel, which has the power to transform the world when it is lived rather than treated as mere theory. They also highlighted the Church’s original vocation, noting that some situations can only be addressed through God’s intervention. Several groups pointed to the Church’s work in the Holy Land and Eastern Europe as examples.

The discussion also addressed the role of political authority, calling for it to be freed from what was described as its toxic link with economic power. Other topics included the family, education, the difficulty of moving beyond the demand for immediate solutions, and the need for bold evangelization. Several groups also highlighted the role of the Holy See’s diplomacy and of papal nuncios in ensuring that the Church’s voice continues to be heard.

Standing with a papal appeal for peace

Within this context, many participants stressed the need to move beyond the logic of just war, since the Gospel cannot be imposed by force, and instead to speak of the right to proportionate self-defense.

Deep gratitude was expressed to Pope Leo for the encyclical, for his condemnation of armed conflicts, and for his repeated appeals for peace. The discussion also reflected on the Petrine ministry (munus petrinum) as a guarantee of the Church’s independence from political authority, as well as on the need for symbolic gestures that can serve as visible signs of peace in the present time.

A call to responsibility

The session concluded with several personal interventions on its themes. Some cardinals expressed gratitude for the opportunity for dialogue provided by the Consistory, while reaffirming the importance of working together with leaders of other religions to promote a civilization of love.

Others spoke of the reaction of many people to the Pope’s candid acknowledgment in the encyclical of the Church’s delay in condemning slavery—words that, they said, had opened hearts.

The cardinals also emphasized that the encyclical itself is a call to the College of Cardinals to assume responsibility for building peace, including through symbolic initiatives such as the World Day of Prayer for Peace convened by St. John Paul II in Assisi in 1986.

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At around 7:30 p.m., the Pope returned to lead the closing prayer, bringing the session to a close.