At one of the most significant moments of his pontificate so far, Pope Leo XIV urged the College of Cardinals to set aside personal and group agendas as they gather to discern the future path of the Church. Speaking during Mass at the opening of the second day of the Extraordinary Consistory in Vatican City, the Pope emphasized that the meeting was not meant to advance individual priorities, but to place all ideas before God in a spirit of humility and unity. He reminded the Cardinals that they had paused their ordinary responsibilities to be together in prayer and listening, describing this pause as an act of love for God, the Church, and humanity. The Consistory, he said, must be rooted in discernment that transcends personal interests and seeks only what the Spirit is asking of the Church at this moment.
Reflecting on the nature of the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo highlighted that while it is rich in experience, cultures, and abilities, it is not called to function merely as a group of experts. Instead, he said, it must live as a community of faith shaped by communion and shared responsibility. The Pope stressed that gifts and ideas bear fruit only when offered to God and returned transformed by grace. He linked this vision to the relational nature of divine love, describing it as the foundation of the spirituality of communion the Church is called to witness. By placing hopes and plans on the altar, the Cardinals are invited to allow God to purify and unite them, forming a common path rather than parallel directions shaped by fear or ambition.
Pope Leo also spoke candidly about the challenges facing the Church and the wider world, describing humanity as hungry for goodness and peace amid deep divisions and uncertainty. He acknowledged that it is normal for Church leaders to feel inadequate in the face of such complexity, but urged them not to lose trust. Drawing on the Gospel image of the loaves and fishes, he said that what seems small can be multiplied when shared together. The Pope emphasized cooperation as essential, noting that discernment is not an individual task but a shared responsibility. Through listening and mutual support, the Cardinals can become a voice for the many communities entrusted to their pastoral care across the world.
The Extraordinary Consistory marks a new phase in Pope Leo’s leadership, focused not on appointments but on collective discernment of priorities for the coming years. After inviting the Cardinals to choose themes for reflection, the Pope underlined that synodality and mission cannot be separated, as both express the Church’s reason for being. He warned against the temptation to believe that everything has already been done or decided, insisting that the Church must remain open to what is emerging. The Consistory, he said, is a living sign of the Church’s newness, where walking together matters as much as conclusions. Trusting in the presence of the Holy Spirit, Pope Leo closed with an image of shared journey, affirming the beauty and responsibility of being together in the same boat.
