Foreign News
Here Is How the Morning of the First Day of the Pope’s Consistory with Cardinals Unfolded. Everything You Need to Know: Topics Discussed, Debates, Contributions, and Initial Proposals – ZENIT
(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 06.26. 2026).- Following the celebration of Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the first session of the Extraordinary Consistory began at 9:30 a.m. in Paul VI Hall. One hundred and seventy-eight Cardinals were present, gathered at tables according to their working groups: eight groups of Ordinary Cardinals (including Nuncios and Cardinals who have concluded their service as Ordinaries) and ten groups comprising Cardinals of the Roman Curia and Non-Elector Cardinals.
Following the singing of the Veni Creator, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, moderator of the first session, opened the meeting and gave the floor to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, to offer his greeting. Then, Pope Francis addressed the assembly with an introductory speech.
At the conclusion of his remarks, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio highlighted the Pope’s request for assistance from the Cardinals and assured him of their support — offered with faith, joy, and a spirit of readiness. He then briefly outlined the session’s theme: «In what world are we called to proclaim the Gospel?» Finally, he gave the floor to Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, who offered a biblical meditation to introduce the working groups’ reflections on the sufferings, tensions, and questions afflicting today’s world — as well as on «signs of hope, fidelity to the Gospel, and possible reconciliation,” must be heeded together.
After a prolonged period of silent prayer, the Cardinals — divided into various groups — had the opportunity to share their reflections using the indicated methods.
Each group decided when to take a brief break from their work, and at 12:10 p.m., during the Plenary Assembly, the secretaries of some of the groups — the eight from the first group and the four from the second –reported on their shared reflections.
All the groups deliberately emphasized the suffering experienced by men and women in this era of profound social transformation.
Among the themes that emerged in response to the first question was the growing polarization within societies and communities — fueled by social divisions, the spread of misinformation, and a prevailing style of communication that fails to foster understanding — which generates political tensions and violence. Emphasis was placed on how polarization hinders governance and coexistence, and how violence is increasingly used to resolve disputes, resulting in personal antagonisms, aggression, or — at the international level — wars and conflicts. Several groups highlighted the lack of respect for religious and ethnic minorities in many parts of the world; this undermines religious freedom and leads to hostility and even violence, particularly against the Church. In this context, some groups also noted the rise of antisemitism.
Many of the working groups analyzed rampant individualism and the crisis of the family — particularly the loneliness affecting both the elderly and the young — as root causes of even worse ills, such as rising suicide and drug abuse rates. From this perspective, there was extensive discussion regarding young people, including within the context of economic, financial, and labor market crises. Underlying many of the debates was an awareness of a widespread sense of distrust, fatalism, and powerlessness regarding institutions, democracy, and the future –feelings also linked to declining birth rates, the rise of criminal gangs, juvenile delinquency, and drug trafficking. In this regard, various groups highlighted the role of secularism, the loss of transcendent and spiritual values and a sense of purpose in life, as well as the growing inability to recognize otherness and build relationships.
The need to address the phenomenon of migration in a humane and Christian manner was also discussed. This phenomenon is transforming peoples, societies, and communities, making it urgent to develop effective integration policies, even as new forms of exclusion emerge. The ecological crisis was mentioned as well, alongside the corruption and suffering experienced in large cities.
Faced with these scenarios — and the suffering evident at so many levels — all groups emphasized the need for the Church to act as a Mother and a welcoming place (including through the restructuring of parishes), capable of acknowledging its own mistakes and transforming suffering into an opportunity for growth, while reminding the world that we are one human family. Within this context, a strong awareness also emerged regarding the responsibility entrusted to the Church at this pivotal moment in history.
Numerous groups observed that, while many institutions are experiencing a crisis of credibility, the Church feels called to speak with authority on behalf of human dignity, peace, reconciliation, and the common good. Especially in contexts where it is close to people’s suffering, there is a growing awareness of how the Church can find the credibility that other institutions lack. The Church is expert in authentic relationships and views the world with compassion: it sees young people with a growing thirst for the Gospel, with whom a better world can be built through closeness; it sees how synodality is a providential path for the Church and humanity to find the answers the world seeks; and it highlights how charity and the promotion of solidarity serve as an authentic witness by generous men and women – laypeople — and how migrants can be a blessing to the communities that welcome them and work for peace and the participation of all in faith communities. In this regard, the value of the Church’s witness as a minority — a «little flock» among the many peoples of the world — was also noted. Various groups emphasized the importance of education as a space for rebuilding the common good and fostering the growth of vocations, and they recognized popular devotion and the celebration of faith by the People of God as signs of hope.
There was a discussion on how various efforts to reject violence and promote dialogue — such as ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, as well as the fundamental role of prayer in maintaining peace — serve as examples of this commitment. In this same vein, some groups cited the Holy Father’s recent visit to Spain and the words of Pope Leo XIII — a loyal and free voice for these times.
Pope Leo XIV remained present until the group discussions began and returned before the plenary session resumed. Following the group presentations, he briefly thanked those present and reiterated the value of participation and dialogue. He cited Cardinal Ryś’s meditation regarding the image of the victim left for dead: «If we are not blind, it’s true that there is much suffering.» Loneliness and suffering, said the Pope, are the result of this society, a challenge to which the Church responds by inviting everyone to communion, not merely by opening churches and celebrating the sacraments, but by creating opportunities and experiences of encounter.
The session concluded with the Angelus prayer, and the afternoon session was scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
