Pope Leo XIV closes out the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals

 

Pope Leo concluded the Extraordinary Consistory   (@Vatican Media)

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Pope closes Consistory, 'an experience of communion at service of mission'

Pope Leo XIV delivers his closing address for the Extraordinary Synod of Cardinals, focusing on hope, synodality, and the Church’s responsibility in a world marked by war and a crisis in human relationships.

By Sebastián Sansón Ferrari

Before offering a concluding reflection of the Extraordinary Consistory held from 26 to 27 June 2026 at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness, together with the entire College of Cardinals, to the people of Venezuela, “severely struck by the violent earthquake of these days.”

“We assure our prayers for the victims, for their families, and for all those suffering the consequences of this tragedy. We also entrust to the Lord all those involved in rescue operations, and we ask that the solidarity of the international community toward that beloved nation may not falter.,” the Pope added.

From the New Synod Hall on Saturday the 27th, Pope Leo delivered a wide-ranging address in which he began by emphasizing: “We now come to the end of these days with a deep sense of gratitude. I thank you for the freedom, fraternity, and ecclesial spirit with which you took part in our work. I carry with me not only the content of your reflections, but also the experience that made them possible.”

“We have sought together the will of the Lord, convinced that Christ continues to act in his Church: it is He who goes before us, gathers us, speaks through our brothers, and leads us in mission. Everything comes from Him and everything returns to Him,” he continued. For this reason, he said that “seeing Cardinals from such diverse Churches, cultures, and situations listening to one another and seeking together what best serves the Gospel has been for me a source of consolation and hope.”

At the heart of his reflection, the Pope insisted that synodality must not be understood as an organizational method or a sequence of meetings, but as a way of being Church.

The real question of synodality is not who has the power to decide, but 'how do we together safeguard the gift that the Lord has entrusted to his Church?'” he stated.

According to the Pope, this journey is born of encounter, grows through mutual listening, and matures through discernment guided by the Holy Spirit. He therefore asked the cardinals to promote the implementation of the synodal process in their particular Churches, fostering an authentic understanding of it.

The wounds of the world

Pope Leo also noted that during the Consistory the cardinals shared their concern for the wars, poverty, injustices, and violence affecting many peoples around the world. However, he said that behind these tragedies lies an even deeper crisis: "loneliness, the crisis of relationships, the loss of hope, and the difficulty of recognizing one another as brothers and sisters."

The Pope particularly highlighted the situation of young people, whose search for meaning and authenticity—and, in some cases, suffering that even leads to taking one’s own life—represents "one of the deepest wounds of our time."

A moment during the closing of the Consistory (@Vatican Media)

He also underlined the importance of the family as a school of relationships, solidarity, and hope. In this context, he announced a meeting in October with the leaders of the Eastern Churches and the presidents of episcopal conferences to evaluate the reception of Amoris Laetitia, in which families will also take part.

A culture of dialogue against the logic of war

One passage of the address was dedicated to peace. In it, Pope Leo stated that the cardinals clearly grasped one of the insights of the encyclical Magnifica humanitas: War does not arise only from conflicts between states, but from a “culture of power” that permeates human relationships, economics, politics, technology, and even religion.

In response, he proposed rebuilding a culture of cooperation and dialogue, strengthening multilateralism, and promoting the participation of lay people in public life inspired by the Church’s social doctrine.

The Pope also defended non-violent response as a profoundly evangelical option, clarifying that it does not mean passivity, but rather confronting conflicts without reproducing the logic of hatred.

In this context, he revealed that several working groups had requested deeper theological and pastoral reflection on legitimate defense in light of the changes affecting contemporary conflicts.

A Church that witnesses before it organizes

Pope Leo insisted that the renewal of the Church does not depend only on structural reforms, but above all on the witness of communities capable of living the Gospel credibly.

“The Church is called to become ever more fully what it proclaims,” he said, emphasizing that all institutional reform will bear fruit only if it arises from encounter with Christ and sacramental life.

The Pope also reiterated his intention to continue this annual gathering starting next year. He clarified that the date has not yet been set, but he hopes to announce it by the end of this year.

A final appeal for peace

At the conclusion of his address, Pope Leo fully adopted as his own the unanimous appeal that emerged from the Consistory and invited the cardinals to pass it on to all the churches and peoples of the world.

“God continues to open paths of reconciliation and peace in history. We have the responsibility to walk them with courage and to help the world recognize them,” he said.

He also thanked everyone for their contribution, “as well as the Relators, the Moderators, and all those who, with generosity and discretion, made these days of work and fraternity possible.”

“Thank you for helping me, once again, to recognize the work that Christ continues to accomplish among his people and in the world. We entrust the fruits of this Consistory to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. May she teach us to preserve unity in diversity and to serve the Gospel of peace with humility, courage, and hope. Thank you!”

First session at the Consistory of Cardinals is complete; 178 Cardinals in attendance

 

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Consistory: 178 Cardinals take part in the first session with Pope Leo

The first session of Pope Leo XIV's Extraordinary Consistory brought together 178 cardinals, who reflected on the world's growing social, political and spiritual challenges while reaffirming the Church's mission to foster communion, peace and hope.

Vatican News

A total of 178 cardinals were present on Friday, 26 June, for the opening session of the Extraordinary Consistory convened by Pope Leo XIV.

After celebrating Mass in St Peter's Basilica at 9:30am, the cardinals moved to the Paul VI Hall, where they gathered at their assigned working tables. The participants were divided into eight groups of diocesan cardinal electors (including apostolic nuncios and cardinal electors who have completed their service as diocesan bishops) and ten groups comprising cardinals serving in the Roman Curia together with non-elector cardinals.

Following the singing of the Veni Creator, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, who moderated the first session, formally opened the proceedings and invited Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, to offer his greeting. Pope Leo XIV then delivered an introductory address.

Cardinal Ryś's biblical meditation

At the conclusion of the Pope's address, Cardinal Rueda Aparicio underlined the Holy Father's request for the support of the cardinals and assured him of their faith, joy and readiness to assist. He then introduced the session's theme, "In what kind of world are we called to proclaim the Gospel?", before inviting Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś to offer a biblical meditation.

The Polish cardinal introduced the group's reflections on the "sufferings, tensions and questions that run through today's peoples and ecclesial communities" and on the "signs of hope, fidelity to the Gospel and possible reconciliation" to be brought into the shared discernment.

Group discussions

After an extended period of silent prayer, the cardinals met in their respective working groups to share their reflections. Each group determined the timing of its own short break before reconvening in plenary assembly at 12:10pm Secretaries from all eight groups of the first section and four groups of the second presented reports on their discussions.

Across all groups there was a profound awareness of the suffering experienced by men and women living through a period of deep social transformation.

Among the principal concerns identified in response to the first question were increasing polarization within societies and communities, generating political tensions and violence and fueled by social divisions, misinformation and forms of communication that fail to foster encounter. Participants noted that such polarization makes governance and peaceful coexistence more difficult, while violence is increasingly seen as a means of resolving disputes, leading to personal antagonism, aggression and, internationally, wars and conflicts.

Several groups also highlighted the suffering caused in many parts of the world by the lack of respect for religious and ethnic minorities, undermining religious freedom and giving rise to hostility, and at times violence, particularly against the Church. Some groups also pointed to the growing phenomenon of antisemitism.

Many working groups reflected on excessive individualism, the crisis of the family, and the growing loneliness experienced by both elderly people and young people, identifying these as contributing factors to even more serious problems, including rising suicide rates and drug use. Much attention was also given to the challenges facing young people amid economic and financial crises and difficulties in the labor market.

At the heart of many interventions was the awareness of a widespread sense of distrust, fatalism and powerlessness towards institutions, democracy and the future, linked also to declining birth rates, the growth of criminal organizations, youth delinquency and drug trafficking. Several groups highlighted the role of secularism, the loss of transcendent and spiritual values, and the diminishing sense of life's meaning, together with a growing weariness and the absence of a shared understanding of truth, which make it more difficult to recognize the other and build authentic relationships.

Participants also stressed the need to address migration in a humane and Christian way, recognizing how it is reshaping peoples, societies and communities while making effective integration policies increasingly urgent amid new forms of exclusion. The ecological crisis, corruption and the hardships of life in large cities were also discussed.

The Church as a welcoming mother

Faced with these realities, all the groups emphasized that the Church must present herself as a mother and a welcoming home, including through the renewal of parish life. The Church, they said, must be capable of acknowledging her own shortcomings, helping suffering become an opportunity for growth, and reminding the world that humanity is one family.

A strong awareness also emerged of the responsibility entrusted to the Church at this particular moment in history. Many groups observed that, while numerous institutions are experiencing a crisis of credibility, the Church is called to speak with authority in defense of human dignity, peace, reconciliation and the common good. Especially where she remains close to those who suffer, the Church discovers a credibility that many other institutions have lost.

Participants described the Church as an expert in authentic relationships, looking upon the world with compassion. They noted that many young people are showing a growing thirst for the Gospel and can help build a better world through closeness and solidarity. Synodality was described as a providential path for both the Church and humanity in seeking answers to today's challenges. Charity and solidarity were highlighted as authentic witness offered by generous lay men and women, while migrants were recognized as a blessing for the communities that welcome them. The Church, participants said, continues to work for peace and for the inclusion of all within communities of faith.

Several groups also pointed to the powerful witness offered by the Church wherever she lives as a minority, a "little flock" among many peoples of the world. Education was highlighted as a place where the common good can be rebuilt, while growing vocations, popular devotion and the joyful faith of the People of God were all identified as signs of hope.

Participants also spoke of the importance of rejecting violence, promoting dialogue—including ecumenical and interreligious dialogue—and recognizing prayer as fundamental in sustaining peace. In this context, some groups referred to the Holy Father's recent Apostolic Journey to Spain and described Pope Leo's words as a loyal and free voice in the present age.

The Pope's concluding remarks

Pope Leo remained present until the beginning of the group discussions before returning shortly before the plenary session resumed.

At the conclusion of the group reports, he briefly thanked those present and once again stressed the importance of participation and dialogue. Referring to Cardinal Ryś's meditation and the image of the man left half dead, the Pope said: "If we are not blind, it is true that there is so much suffering."

Loneliness and suffering, he continued, are among the consequences of today's society. The Church responds to this challenge by inviting everyone into communion, not only by opening churches and celebrating the sacraments, but also by creating opportunities and experiences of genuine encounter.

The morning session concluded with the recitation of the Angelus, with the cardinals scheduled to reconvene at 4:00pm for the afternoon session.

As our own Archbishop Checchio receives the Pallium next Monday; here is some good info on just what is the Pallium

 

The Pallium: A Special Sign of a Bishop’s Love

June 24, 2026

by Betty-Ann Hickey

In St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, on June 29, the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, Archbishop Checchio and the new metropolitan archbishops (that’s an archbishop who is the leader of an archdiocese) from around the world will receive a special garment called the pallium from Pope Leo XIV.

The pallium is a circular band made of soft white wool that is worn over an archbishop’s shoulders during important Masses. It has two woolen strips that hang down: one in the front and one in the back. Only an archbishop or the pope can wear a pallium.

The pallium is rich with meaning. Its shape looks like a yoke, the wooden beam that farm animals wear when pulling a plow in a field. A yoke usually connects two animals so they can work together. Jesus said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light, so when we work together with Jesus, he helps us even when the work seems too hard. This reminds the archbishops that God has called them to work with the pope and with Jesus to faithfully to care for the people in the part of the world given to them.

The six black crosses on the pallium remind us of the wounds Jesus received during his crucifixion. In three of those crosses there are metal pins, which represent the nails that held Jesus to the Cross. The ends of the hanging strips are covered in black cloth, making them look like the legs of a lamb. This helps us remember Jesus, the Lamb of God, and the gentle care a bishop should show to the people entrusted to him.

Even the wool used to make the pallium is special. It comes from lambs that are blessed by the pope each year on the Feast of Saint Agnes, January 21. The lambs are later shorn, and their wool is woven into the pallia. This reminds us that just like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lovingly carries his sheep on his shoulders, our archbishop loves and cares for us too.

The night before they are given to the new archbishops, the pallia are placed near the tomb of Saint Peter beneath the main altar of Saint Peter’s Basilica. They stay there all night until it is time for the Mass.

The pallium is much more than a piece of clothing. It is a sign that bishops are called to be loving shepherds who care for God’s people. It also shows their unity with the Pope and their mission to help others grow closer to Jesus Christ.

When you see the pallium, you can remember that Jesus loves us very much and has given us an archbishop to love, teach and guide us.

Pope Leo XIV enthusiastically meets with 1,000 teenage confirmands in Rome

 

Pope Leo XIV greets young Catholics from the Archdiocese of Genoa (@Vatican Media)

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Pope: Holy Spirit received at Confirmation gives us strength to follow Jesus

Pope Leo XIV encourages young people of the Italian Archdiocese of Genoa to keep their enthusiasm and commitment to Christ after receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

By Devin Watkins

As around 1,000 young Catholics from the Archdiocese of Genoa in northern Italy made a pilgrimage to Rome, Pope Leo XIV met with them on Saturday to encourage their desire to follow Christ.

The young people have been preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, which completes the sacraments of initiation and seals the baptized person with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In his off-the-cuff remarks, Pope Leo said one of the greatest joys of every Bishop is the opportunity to celebrate Confirmations, since it is “truly the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“It is very beautiful to receive this Sacrament,” he said, “because the fullness of the Holy Spirit gives us enthusiasm, strength, and the ability to follow Jesus Christ, to say “Yes” to the Lord always, and not to be afraid to follow courageously, to live the faith in a world that so often wants to lead us far from Jesus.”

He noted that next Sunday, May 24, marks Pentecost Sunday, when the Church recalls the experience of the first disciples, who received the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the love of God.

Pope Leo XIV speaks off-the-cuff to the Confirmands (@Vatican Media)

Each of the Confirmands, said the Pope, is called to be a participant in the Church’s mission and is sent to their friends and families to bear witness to the “Spirit who lives in us.”

Just as Confirmation marks a great joy for Bishops, it often brings them sadness, he said, since many young people never set foot in the church again, disappearing from their parishes.

Pope Leo therefore appealed to young Catholics to pay special attention to the Holy Spirit’s gift of perseverance, so that they live their faith together.

“Do not forget what you have lived in this time,” he said. “May your joy in coming to Rome to celebrate together and pray together live in your hearts, and may you continue to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ and persevere in the faith.”

Pope Leo XIV takes a selfie with one of the Confirmands (@Vatican Media)

As they return to their parishes, the Pope invited them to participate in the many activities and opportunities offered so that they can live in community.

“We do not live the faith alone; we live it together,” he said. “And forming these relationships of friendship and community is a way to live perseverance as disciples of Jesus.”

Finally, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the young Confirmands from Genoa to enjoy this moment of grace as they receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit and maintain it throughout their lives.

“It is very important,” he said, “that each one of you also make this commitment, this promise to the Lord: that you truly want to continue as His friends, His disciples, His missionaries, and that you want to persevere in the faith.”

Pope Leo XIV goes back to college; makes pastoral visit to Rome's Sapienza University

 

Pope Leo XIV makes pastoral visit to the Sapienza University of Rome  (@Vatican Media)

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Pope Leo to Rome's Sapienza University: ‘Be artisans of true peace’

Pope Leo XIV makes a special visit to Sapienza University of Rome, urging young people to reject resignation, become “artisans of true peace,” and warning against rising military spending and the dangers of artificial intelligence in war.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

“Be artisans of true peace: an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering, working for harmony among peoples and for the care of the Earth.”

Pope Leo XIV expressed this during his address to the Sapienza University of Rome on Thursday, May 14.

Prior to delivering his remarks, the Holy Father paused in prayer and greeted members of the university community before proceeding to the rectorate and the Aula Magna for his address.

In his speech, Pope Leo said he accepted “with great joy” the invitation to meet the university community, praising the university as a center of excellence in many disciplines, while also recognizing its commitment to ensuring access to education for those with fewer economic resources, people with disabilities, prisoners, and refugees fleeing war zones.

In a particular way, the Holy Father expressed appreciation for the agreement signed between the Diocese of Rome and Sapienza to open a university humanitarian corridor from the Gaza Strip.

Pope Leo noted that, having served as Bishop of Rome for just over a year, he especially desired to meet the university community and, “with a pastor’s heart,” wished to address first the students and then the professors.

Young people and the search for truth

Reflecting on his arrival at the university, the Pope said the avenues of the campus are crossed every day by many young people and marked by “contrasting emotions."

While he acknowledged they likely have some carefree and joyful moments, he recognized that they undoubtedly are likewise troubled by the great injustices around the world.

Amid this reality, the Holy Father said studies, friendships, and encounters with “masters of thought” can transform people for the better even before changing the world around them.

“When the desire for truth becomes a search,” he continued, “our boldness in study bears witness to the hope of a new world.”

St. Augustine made serious mistakes, but never lost his passion for wisdom

Pope Leo reminded the students of his spiritual connection to Saint Augustine, his spiritual father, whom he recalled was as “a restless young man” who made serious mistakes, but never lost his passion for beauty and wisdom.

The Pope said he was pleased to receive hundreds of questions from students ahead of the encounter. Lamenting that it would be impossible for him to answer them all, he reminded the students that university chaplaincies exist for this very reason, as places “where faith encounters your questions.”

Pope Leo greeting students (@Vatican Media)

‘We are not an algorithm’

Turning to the struggles faced by many young people today, Pope Leo said “We must not hide from the fact that many young people are suffering.”

The Pope pointed to the “blackmail of expectations” and pressure to perform, calling it “the pervasive lie of a distorted system that reduces people to numbers, exacerbating competitiveness and abandoning us to spirals of anxiety.”

“This spiritual malaise,” he continued, “reminds us that we are not the sum of what we possess, nor matter randomly assembled in a mute cosmos.”

The Holy Father went on to remind the students they are not algorithms and that they possess a special dignity.

Becoming ourselves

Addressing young people directly, Pope Leo said modern malaise asks the question: “Who are you?” and said this question is one "we silently pose to God.”

“Becoming ourselves,” he observed, “is the characteristic task of every man’s and every woman’s life.”

““It is the question to which only we ourselves can respond,” he continued, “yet one that we can never answer alone,” stressing that human beings are shaped by our relationships.

‘What kind of world are we leaving behind?’

Turning to older generations, the Pope said the malaise of youth also asks: “What kind of world are we leaving behind?”

The Holy Father lamented that today’s world is “disfigured by wars and by words of war,” describing this as “a pollution of reason” that invades social relationships from the geopolitical level downward.

Pope Leo XIV at the Sapienza University of Rome (@Vatican Media)

The Pope warned that the simplification that “constructs enemies” must be corrected, especially in universities, through “care for complexity and the wise exercise of memory.”

“In particular,” he added, “the tragedy of the twentieth century must not be forgotten.”

Warnings against military spending and rearmament

“The cry ‘never again war!’ of my predecessors,” Pope Leo said, “urges us toward a spiritual alliance with the sense of justice dwelling in the hearts of the young.”

The Holy Father noted that military spending around the world, especially in Europe, has grown enormously over the past year.

“Let us not call ‘defense’ a rearmament that increases tensions and insecurity, impoverishes investment in education and health, denies trust in diplomacy, and enriches elites that care nothing for the common good,” he warned.

Moreover, Pope Leo insisted that society must remain vigilant regarding the development and application of artificial intelligence in both military and civilian spheres.

“This is particularly important,” he said, “so that it does not strip human choices of responsibility and worsen the tragedy of conflicts.”

Warning against a 'spiral of annihilation'

The Pope pointed specifically to Ukraine, Gaza and the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Iran as examples of what he called “the inhuman evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation.”

“Let study, research, and investment move in the opposite direction,” the Holy Father urged.

“Let them be a radical ‘yes,’" he said, "to life — yes to innocent life, yes to young life, yes to the life of peoples crying out for peace and justice.”

Safeguarding creation

A second area of common commitment, Pope Leo said, concerns ecology.

Recalling Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment Laudato si’, the Holy Father cited the warning that “we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system.”

More than a decade later, Pope Leo observed, “beyond good intentions and some efforts directed toward this goal, the situation does not seem to have improved.”

In this context, the Pope encouraged young people not to surrender to resignation but instead “to transform restlessness into prophecy.”

The insight of those who believe

“Those who believe,” he continued, “know in a special way that history does not helplessly collapse into the hands of death.”

Rather, he said, history is always safeguarded by “a God who creates life from nothing, who gives without taking, who shares without consuming.”

“Today,” the Holy Father declared, “the implosion of a possessive and consumerist paradigm clears the ground for the new that is already sprouting forth: study, cultivate, safeguard justice!”

Pope Leo then invited students and professors alike to join him in pursuing peace.

“Be artisans of true peace: an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering, working for harmony among peoples and for the care of the Earth,” he said.

Your intelligence and boldness are needed, the Pope said.

Pope Leo at the Sapienza University of Rome (@Vatican Media)

‘Believe in your students’

Turning specifically to professors, Pope Leo described Sapienza as “a place of study and a center of experimentation” that for centuries has formed minds in critical thought.

In this context, he reminded professors they have the responsibility and privilege of cultivating “fruitful contact with the minds and hearts of young people.”

“It is of the utmost importance to believe in your students,” the Pope stressed.

“Therefore, ask yourselves often: do I trust them?” he said.

Teaching as a form of charity

The Pope also described teaching as “a form of charity,” comparing it to “rescuing a migrant at sea, a poor person on the street, or a despairing conscience.”

Teaching, he continued, “means loving human life always and in every circumstance, esteeming its possibilities.”

Pope Leo said education should speak “to the hearts of young people” and not focus solely on intellectual knowledge.

The Pope went on to ask what would be the point of forming researchers or professionals who fail to cultivate conscience, justice, and respect for what “can neither nor should be dominated.”

A new educational alliance

“Knowledge,” he said, “serves not only to achieve professional goals, but to discern who one is.”

Through lectures, internships, interaction with the city, theses, and doctoral studies, he reminded that students can continually discover new motivations and learn to bring order “between study and life, between means and ends.”

Finally, Pope Leo XIV reminded that his visit was intended to serve as “a sign of a new educational alliance” between the Church in Rome and the university community, before assuring those present of his prayers and imparting his Apostolic Blessing.