León XIV Opens the Extraordinary Consistory with a Call for Synodality, Peace, and Mission

On the occasion of the opening of the Extraordinary City Council Meeting, to be held on June 26 and 27, the Leo XIV He presided over the working meetings and a Mass at the College of Cardinals.

Through its speech During the opening prayer and the homily, the Pontiff urged cardinals from around the world to build a synodal Church, address international conflicts through justice, and strengthen the proclamation of the Gospel.

Ecclesial Discernment

In his welcoming remarks, the Holy Father thanked the cardinals for their presence and reiterated the desire he expressed at the Consistory last January to «work together in the service of the Church» through «a dialogue that will help me in serving the mission of the entire Church.».

León XIV emphasized that communion is not a final outcome, but rather a «daily conversion» that is built «not so much through words and documents, but through concrete actions and attitudes that must be evident in our daily lives, including in the workplace.».

He also recalled that pastors are not «guardians of particular interests,» but rather «disciples and witnesses of the Kingdom of God, called to be, in Christ, the leaven of universal brotherhood.».

Thematic Sessions

To guide the proceedings, the Pope has proposed four interconnected thematic sessions:

• Reflections on Today's World: An Invitation to Contemplate Reality Through the Eyes of Faith. Recalling his homily in the Plaza de Cibeles Speaking in Madrid on June 7, he recalled that «Jesus walks through the streets, crosses the squares, visits our neighborhoods, and dwells in the places of our daily lives—as the God who is close to us and walks with his people, as the Lord of history.».
• The Culture of Power and the Civilization of Love: a space for discernment regarding realities marked by war, violence, and polarization. To this end, the Pontiff has proposed his encyclical “Magnifica humanitas”, expressing his interest in hearing how these passages are brought to life in the various local churches.
• Building the Common Good: a session dedicated to exploring the Church’s contribution in the face of the temptations of fragmentation. Drawing on paragraph 86 of the aforementioned encyclical, the Holy Father has emphasized the importance of a synodal approach characterized by «transparency, evaluation, and shared responsibility» in decision-making.
• Implementation of the Synod: a section to coordinate preliminary reflections. The Pope has clarified that «synodality is not primarily a set of procedures,» but rather «an attitude, an openness, a willingness to understand.» Furthermore, he has refuted the notion that this approach implies a diminishment of authority, clarifying that it helps us understand authority as a service aimed at «preserving communion, fostering the participation of all, and guiding our shared journey.».

Finally, Leo XIV has asked the cardinals for their «strong, explicit, and public» support, calling on them to show «freedom,» «frankness,» and «loyalty,» since «sincere counsel is always an act of communion.».

He also encouraged those present to work with conviction within the established groups, acknowledging that, although this is not the usual format for a consistory, it is part of the shared learning process of synodality.

The True Vine

During the Eucharistic celebration held at the tomb of St. Peter, as the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul approaches, the Pope outlined his homily centered on the Gospel image of the true vine. Drawing on the Holy Scriptures, the Pontiff has offered three fundamental guidelines to direct the deliberations of the College of Cardinals:

• True Freedom: Leo XIV explained that a relationship with Jesus Christ frees us from sin and fear, inspiring the bishops as successors of the apostles. He emphasized that «the living Church is the Church that believes» through the gift of the Holy Spirit, and he urged everyone to bear witness to this faith with enthusiasm among all nations.
• The Key to Peace: In the face of the grave wounds caused by international tensions and conflicts, the Holy Father has condemned the use of force: «War is never worthy of man, and it will never be blessed by God,» noting that intelligence and will must prevail over high-tech weapons. He has defined peace as a duty of justice stemming from a single human family.
• The timeless truths today: The Pope has noted that rapid cultural changes require us to express «the timeless truths in a language that allows us to perceive their enduring newness,» citing Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation *Evangelii gaudium*. Along these lines, he explained that both synodality and collegiality are expressions of Christian fraternity.

The Pontiff concluded his remarks by reiterating that the assistance requested from the cardinals stems from an attitude of service and supplication, and he entrusted the proceedings to the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul.