The upcoming schedule for Pope Leo and the Consistory of Cardinals June 26 & 27th

 

Pope Leo XIV prays with the Cardinals during the Consistory in January 2026  (@VATICAN MEDIA)

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• Pope Leo XIV
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Vatican releases schedule for Pope’s Consistory with Cardinals

Pope Leo XIV will meet with members of the College of Cardinals on June 26-27 for an Extraordinary Consistory focused on the current situation of the Church and the world, the pursuit of peace, and the implementation of the Synod.

Vatican News

The Holy See Press Office has released the programme for the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals set for June 26-27, just ahead of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

As Pope Leo XIV meets with the Cardinals, they will discuss issues such as conflicts afflicting the world and how the Church should communicate through language and attitudes to build peace and reconciliation.

It will be the second Consistory gathering of Pope Leo’s pontificate, following the meeting held in January, which brought together 170 Cardinal electors and non-electors from around the world.

At the close of that Consistory, the Pope announced the June meeting, telling the Cardinals: “I feel and experience the need to be able to count on you.”

According to the programme released by the Holy See Press Office, the work will follow a “synodal” method, with prayer, silence, personal reflection, group discussion, and plenary sessions.

The Cardinals have been asked to maintain “confidentiality” regarding what takes place in the hall and not to make statements to the press during the Consistory, in order to preserve an atmosphere of fraternal exchange.

Four sessions of reflection

Participants will be divided into 20 groups. Nine groups will be made up of Cardinal electors who are Ordinaries, including Apostolic Nuncios and Cardinal electors who have completed their service as Ordinaries.

The other eleven groups will include Cardinal electors of the Roman Curia and non-elector Cardinals.

Each group will have a president, who will moderate the discussion and keep time, as well as a secretary, who will gather the contributions and draft the group’s final report.

The Consistory will begin on Friday, June 26, with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over by Pope Leo XIV.

The Cardinals will then move to the Paul VI Hall for the opening session, which will begin with the singing of the Veni Creator Spiritus, an address by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and an introductory intervention by the Pope.

The first session will focus on the question: “In what kind of world are we called to proclaim the Gospel?” Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow, will offer a biblical meditation, followed by silence, prayer, group sharing, and reports in plenary session.

On Friday afternoon, the second session will consider the theme “The culture of power and the civilization of love.” Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will introduce the theme, drawing on Chapter V of Magnifica humanitas.

Building the common good

On Saturday morning, after Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica presided over by Cardinal Re, the Cardinals will resume their work in the Paul VI Hall.

The third session, entitled “Building in the good: the worksites of our time,” will be introduced by Cardinal Stephen Brislin, Metropolitan Archbishop of Johannesburg and President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

The discussion will focus on the fractures that make it difficult to build the common good, the questions emerging from peoples and communities, and the support that local Churches and the universal Church can offer.

The fourth and final session will take place on Saturday afternoon in the New Synod Hall and will be dedicated to “The path of implementing the Synod.” Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, will introduce the theme, beginning from the document Towards the Synodal Assemblies 2027-2028: Stages, Criteria, and Instruments for Preparation.

The session will include questions of clarification, a dialogue with Pope Leo XIV, and free interventions lasting no more than three minutes.

The Pope’s concluding address will bring the Consistory to a close, followed by the singing of the Te Deum and a dinner with the Pope in the Paul VI Hall.

On Monday, June 29, Pope Leo XIV will preside at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff

 

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• Conclave
• mass
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• prayer
• Holy Spirit

Cardinal Re: United in prayer before the Conclave, we ask the Holy Spirit for guidance

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presides over the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff, and calls for unity in faith and prayer as the Cardinals go into the Conclave to elect the new Pope. "May the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history."

By Thaddeus Jones

On Wednesday morning, 7 May, in Saint Peter's Basilica the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff took place with the Cardinals and over five thousand faithful in attendance. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the celebration, saying that in a special way "we feel united with the entire People of God in their sense of faith, love for the Pope and confident expectation." 

Recalling the reading in the Acts of the Apostles how after Christ’s ascension into heaven all were united and persevering in prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Cardinal said in his homily that all gathered here are praying together as well just a few hours before the start of the Conclave, "under the gaze of Our Lady beside the altar, in this Basilica which rises above the tomb of the Apostle Peter."

United in faith and prayer

Cardinal Re explained that at this celebration we invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, asking for "his light and strength so that the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history."

“To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take as the Cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance. This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church and of humanity.”

Love that knows no limits

As proclaimed in the Gospel reading during the celebration, Cardinal Re recalled how Jesus calls on everyone to love one another as He has loved them, even to the point of laying down one's life, a message of boundless love that the Lord calls a "new" commandment.

“The love that Jesus reveals knows no limits and must characterise the thoughts and actions of all his disciples, who must always show authentic love in their behaviour and commit themselves to building a new civilisation, what Paul VI called the “civilisation of love.” Love is the only force capable of changing the world.”

Call to fraternal love and communion

Continuing in his homily, Cardinal Re recalled how the readings proclaimed during the celebration call us to fraternal love, mutual help, ecclesial communion and universal human fraternity. And a key task of every successor of Peter is fostering communion in all forms: "communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of the Bishops with the Pope; communion of the Bishops among themselves...entirely directed towards communion among persons, peoples and cultures." 

Unity in diversity

The readings also remind us about the duty "to maintain the unity of the Church on the path traced out by Christ to the Apostles." This unity of the Church "is willed by Christ," he explained, a unity that is strong and marked by "profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained."

“Each Pope continues to embody Peter and his mission and thus represents Christ on earth; he is the rock on which the Church is built (cf. Mt 16:18). The election of a new Pope is not a simple succession of persons. The election of a new Pope is always the Apostle Peter who returns.”

United in prayer

As the Cardinal electors cast their votes in the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Re urged everyone to pray that the Holy Spirit, "who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great Pontiffs, will give us a new Pope according to God’s heart for the good of the Church and of humanity."

“May we pray for "a Pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and awaken the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society" that "tends to forget God."”

The Cardinal remarked how the world expects much from the Church in safeguarding the "fundamental human and spiritual values" that human coexistence and future generations depend upon.

“May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of the Cardinal electors and help them agree on the Pope that our time needs.”

The stage is set: all 133 voting Cardinals are together in Rome for the Conclave

 

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• Conclave
• sede vacante
• cardinals

All 133 Cardinal electors arrive in Rome as Cardinals hold tenth General Congregation

The Cardinals hold their tenth General Congregation to prepare for the upcoming conclave and continue their discussions on the state of the Church and their hopes for the future.

By Vatican News

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told reporters on Monday that the 179 Cardinals, including 132 Cardinal electors, participated in the tenth General Congregation.

He noted that all 133 Cardinal electors are present in Rome, ahead of the conclave that starts on May 7.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, told the Congregation that Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell drew lots on Saturday afternoon for the room assignments of the Cardinals. All will be accommodated at the Casa Santa Marta and the old Santa Marta.

The Cardinal electors, said Mr. Bruni, will be able to travel from the Casa Santa Marta to the Sistine Chapel as they wish, even on foot—but along a protected route.

There were 26 interventions at the Congregation on Monday morning that touched on the following topics:

- Canon law and the role of the Vatican City State.
- The missionary nature of the Church.
- The role of Caritas in defending the poor.
- The presence of so many journalists was highlighted, seen as a sign that the Gospel has meaning for the world today—as a call to responsibility.
- The prayer during the COVID pandemic was recalled, as an open door of hope in a time of fear.
- Regarding the new Pope: many hope for a shepherd close to the people, a gateway to communion, gathering everyone in the blood of Christ, in a world where the global order is in crisis.
- The challenges of transmitting the faith, caring for creation, war, and a fragmented world were discussed.
- Concern was expressed over divisions within the Church.
- The role of women in the Church, in the context of synodality.
- Vocations, family, and the education of children were addressed.
- Reference was made to the documents of the Second Vatican Council, especially Dei Verbum, on how the Word of God is nourishment for the people of God.

Mr. Bruni said all efforts are being made during the General Congregations to ensure that all Cardinals who wish to speak have the opportunity to do so.

Work has been mostly completed on the Sistine Chapel, as well as on accommodations at the two Casa Santa Martas, and Cardinals may check in as of Tuesday morning.

Journalists, said Mr. Bruni, will not be able to visit the Sistine Chapel, since the Vatican Gendarmerie have already secured it. However, he noted, images will be released showing the prepared interior.

Cardinals busy today, plan pre-conclave Mass

 

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Cardinals announce pre-conclave Mass at sixth General Congregation

The College of Cardinals holds their sixth General Congregation on Tuesday morning and announces the times of the votive Mass ahead of the conclave and the procession to enter the Sistine Chapel.

By Vatican News

During the sixth General Congregation held in the New Synod Hall on Tuesday morning, 183 Cardinals were present, including 124 Cardinals electors. Around 20 Cardinals took the floor to speak.

They addressed themes related to the Church and the challenges it faces, offering reflections shaped by the perspectives of their continents and regions of origin, as well as the Church’s possible responses.

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told reporters that two Cardinal electors will not attend the conclave due to health reasons.

Separately, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu announced he will obey the will of Pope Francis and not take part in the conclave.

On Monday, the College of Cardinals decided to send a message to the world, expressing gratitude for the participation in recent events and for the support received over the past days, which was released on Tuesday.

The conclave will begin on May 7, following the same schedule as the previous one in 2013.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside at the votive Mass for the Election of the Pope (Pro Eligendo Papa), which will be celebrated at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The conclave will officially begin at 4:30 PM with a prayer service in the Pauline Chapel, attended by the Cardinal electors who will pray the Litany of the Saints before entering in procession into the Sistine Chapel.

They will sing the Veni Creator and then make their solemn oath to faithfully fulfill the Munus Petrinum if they are elected Pope and to maintain absolute secrecy regarding the conclave.

The Funeral Mass for Pope Francis

 

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• Pope Francis
• death
• funeral
• homily
• cardinals
• Basilica di San Pietro

Cardinal Re at Requiem Mass: Pope Francis, a shepherd of the people

In his homily at the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis, the Dean of the College of Cardinals recalls the highlights of his intense and prophetic 12 years of pontificate marked by his closeness to the people, especially the least and the last amongst us, and his deep love for the Church open to everyone.

By Lisa Zengarini

Over two hundred and fifty thousand people from all walks of life poured into St. Peter’s Square and the adjacent areas on Saturday morning to bid their final farewell to Pope Francis at his Requiem Mass. Over 150,00 others lined the streets of Rome as his coffin was taken in procession to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The Solemn and moving celebration was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re joined by some 250 Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, priests, and consecrated religious.

In his homily, the Dean of the College of Cardinals delved into the many highlights of his remarkable and intense 12 years of Petrine Ministry marked by his style of closeness to the people and spontaneity of his gestures until the very end, but most importantly, by his deep love for the Church which he wanted open to everyone.

A view of St. Peter's square during the Requeim Mass for Pope Francis   (Vatican Media)

A Pope that touched minds and hearts of many 

Thanking all those present and extending his greetings to the numerous religious leaders, Heads of State, Heads of Government and Official Delegations from across the world attending the Mass, Cardinal Re noted that the outpouring witnessed in this week of mourning tells a lot on how much the pontificate of Pope Francis “touched minds and hearts” of many people, not only within the Church.

The good shepherd close to his people until the very end

Referencing the Gospel passage where Christ charges Peter with shepherding His flock, Cardinal Re remarked that “Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life,” in which he “followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd”

“The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica. He then came down to this Square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile.”

He recalled how his decision to take the name Francis “immediately appeared to indicate the pastoral plan and style on which he wanted to base his pontificate, seeking inspiration from the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi.”

A moment of the celebration   (Vatican Media)

Open to everyone and attentive to the signs of the times

With his temperament and form of pastoral leadership, and through his resolute personality, said Cardinal Re, “he immediately made his mark on the governance of the Church.”

“He was a Pope among the people”, with an open heart towards everyone, especially the marginalised, the least among us, but “also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church.”

With his characteristic vocabulary and language, he always sought to shed light on the problems of our difficult times with the wisdom of the Gospel, encouraging Christians to live out their faith amid these challenges and contradictions, which he liked to describe as an “epochal change."

Evangelisation central to Pope Francis' vision

Evangelisation, Cardinal Re explained, remained central to his vision, most notably expressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. His image of the Church as a “field hospital” characterised a Church actively engaging with the world’s wounds.

His outreach to migrants and refugees, exemplified by the visits to Lampedusa, Lesbos, and the US-Mexico border, was deeply symbolic of his solidarity with the suffering.

“His gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant.”

Among his 47 Apostolic Journeys, Cardinal Re highlighted his visit to Iraq, which, he said, stood out as both a “pastoral balm” and a call for interreligious dialogue.

His global travels often brought him to places of deep need and conflict, culminating in his 2024 visit to the Asia-Oceania region, which extended the Church’s presence to the farthest peripheries.

His relentless emphasis on mercy

Cardinal Re also highlighted Pope Francis’ relentless emphasis on mercy—centred in his declaration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016—and his persistent advocacy for a “culture of encounter” against the prevailing “throwaway culture.”

His call for human fraternity, notably in his Encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti’ and the 2019 Abu Dhabi joint Declaration on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, underscored his desire for global solidarity and peace.

A bold voice for peace

Environmental stewardship, expressed in the Encyclical 'Laudato si’', Cardinal Re continued, further widened the scope of his moral leadership, stressing the interconnectedness of all creation and our shared responsibility for the planet.

In times of global violence and war, Pope Francis’ voice stood out as one of peace, always insisting that “war is a defeat for humanity”.

Cardinal Re's words on the late Pope's efforts and appeals for world peace drew wide applause from the crowds present.

Pope Francis, pray for us from heaven!

The homily closed on a tender note, invoking the familiar words with which Pope Francis always ended his audiences and meetings: “Do not forget to pray for me.”

With more applause rising from those present, Cardinal Re said now, as Pope Francis rests in God's embrace, the faithful reverse that request, asking their beloved Pope to intercede for the Church, for Rome, and the whole world from heaven.

“Dear Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this Basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope.”

Mass of the Lord's Supper at the Vatican; without Pope Francis

 

Holy Thursday Mass "In Coena Domini"  (Vatican Media)

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• HOLY WEEK
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• CARDINALS

Cardinal Re at Mass of Lord's Supper: 'Eucharist is the life and center of the Church'

Cardinal Re reflects on Our Lord’s gift of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and His sacrifice of Himself for humanity, during his homily at the Mass "In Coena Domini" ("of the Lord's Supper") at the beginning of the Easter Triduum.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presided over the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday in St. Peter’s Basilica. The liturgy, known as In Coena Domini or Mass "of the Lord's Supper," commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist.

During the homily, the dean of the College of Cardinals recalled the Lord’s great discourse to His disciples on the day before He made an offering of Himself to the Father for our salvation.

"He loved them to the end"

Cardinal Re highlighted that this Eucharist Celebration, charged with an extraordinary intensity of thought, makes us relive that evening when Christ, surrounded by His Apostles in the Cenacle, instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood, and entrusted them with the commandment of fraternal love.

Holy Thursday, therefore, “reminds us of how much we have been loved,” the Cardinal explained. The Son of God gave us Himself – His Body and His Blood – the totality of His Person for our redemption.

In so doing, “He loved them to the end,” Cardinal Re noted, quoting the Gospel. Jesus loved them to the point of dying an ignominious death on the Cross on Good Friday in a sign of love in the extreme – “the highest and unsurpassable degree of His capacity to love.”

Precious gift of the Eucharist

Cardinal Re went on to underline that the gift of the Sacrament of the Eucharist can only be explained because “Christ loved us and wanted to be near every one of us forever, even to the end of the world.”

This precious gift, he noted, “is the gift through which Christ walks with us as light, as strength, as nourishment, as help in all the days of our history.”

Moreover, the Second Vatican Council says that the liturgy “is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time, it is the font from which all her power flows"; and describes "the Eucharistic sacrifice" as “the fount and apex of the whole Christian life.”

Eucharist: center and life of the Church

“The Eucharist is the center and life of the Church”, Cardinal Re re-affirmed. It must also be “the center and heart of the life of every Christian as well.”

In describing the Sacrament as the “fount and apex,” the Second Vatican Council expresses the idea that in the life and mission of the Church, everything comes from and leads to the Eucharist, he explained.

In this regard, “the Eucharist is a reality not only to be believed, but to be lived.” It is a call of openness toward others, an invitation to solidarity, to fraternal love, and an invitation to help those in difficulty, especially the poor and the marginalized.

“Those who believe in the Eucharist never feel alone in life,” the Cardinal affirms. “They know that in the dimness and in the silence of all the Churches there is Someone who knows their name… And before the tabernacle, everyone can confide whatever is in their heart and receive comfort, strength and peace of heart”

Institution of the Catholic priesthood

Cardinal Re recalled that at the Last Supper with His apostles, Christ, the true priest, said: “Do this – that is, the Sacrament of the Eucharist – in memory of me.” Three days later, on Easter Sunday, he also said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.”

By so doing, the Cardinal explained, Jesus transmits to His Apostles the powers of the priesthood, “so that the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Pardon might continue and be renewed in the Church. He gave humanity an incomparable gift.”

Love and betrayal

Another consideration in Jesus’ sharing with His Apostles around the same table in the Cenacle is the manifestation of God’s love and friendship, as well as man’s betrayal. “In the story of the boundless love of Christ who loved us ‘till the end,’ there is the bitterness of human disloyalty and betrayal,” the Cardinal said.

Holy Thursday, therefore, is an invitation to become aware of our sins, to put our lives in order, and embark on a path of repentance and renewal to obtain God’s pardon.

So, we are invited to obtain the “joy of His pardon with repentance and with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and to begin a spiritual recovery with hearts open more to God and to all our brothers and sisters.”

Covid-19

Amid the dramatic situation brought about by the ongoing Covid-19 health emergency, the Cardinal noted that the customary tradition of Adoration of the Eucharist throughout the night, with various initiatives of prayer and moments of religious intensity, will not occur in many places this year.

However, “we must continue to pray with our thoughts and our hearts filled with gratitude for Jesus Christ, who wanted to remain present among us as our contemporary under the appearances of bread and wine,” he urged.

In the face of the pandemic, we are also encouraged to “raise a huge chorus of prayer so that the hand of God might come to our aid and end this tragic situation that has worrying consequences in the fields of health, employment, economy, education, and direct relationships with people.”

As Christ Himself taught us, “it is necessary to go and knock loudly on the door of God, the Father Almighty,” Cardinal Re said.