Cardinals concluded a two-day extraordinary consistory 27 June, saying Pope Leo XIV’s decision to convene the College of Cardinals twice in six months has already strengthened unity by helping cardinals get to know one another.
“For years and years the cardinals didn’t know each other,” Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco told OSV News, adding, “It’s a very good initiative of the pope and very useful for him and for the unity of the Church.”
Pope Leo said he hopes to continue holding annual consistories, stressing in his closing address that “what matters is not increasing the number of gatherings, but learning to experience gatherings in which, by listening to one another, we learn together to listen to the Lord.”
Discussions covered war, poverty, young people, families, synodality, artificial intelligence and the pope’s encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas.”
Cardinals also reflected on global conflicts, the implementation of the Synod on Synodality and preparations for an October meeting on marriage and family life.
