Pope Leo XIV holds first consistory with global cardinals, addressing calls for more collegial governance following Pope Francis’s leadership style.
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV is hosting cardinals from around the world for a two-day meeting starting on Wednesday.
This consistory follows calls within the Church for a more collegial approach to global governance.
It is the first such gathering since Leo was elected by his fellow cardinals in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis.
Vatican sources indicate cardinals are seeking a larger role in governing the universal Church.
Francis’s 12-year pontificate was sometimes criticised for a personal leadership style that sidelined many cardinals.
The Vatican stated the cardinals would offer “support and counsel to the Holy Father in the exercise of his lofty and weighty responsibility”.
The meeting will include moments of “communion and fraternity, as well as times dedicated to reflection, sharing, and prayer”.
It could provide key insights into Leo’s own leadership style and future plans for the Church.
His agenda has so far been dominated by fulfilling commitments initiated by his predecessor.
This is classified as an “extraordinary” consistory to discuss important Church matters.
“Ordinary” consistories are typically held for the creation of new cardinals.
All 245 cardinals of the Catholic Church worldwide have been invited to attend.
Pope Francis convened only one “extraordinary” consistory during his papacy.
He preferred to govern through a smaller group of about a dozen cardinals.
