Vatican City: Pope Pope Leo XIV on Thursday celebrated Mass with Cardinals from around the world, marking the second day of his first Extraordinary Consistory and urging them to use this moment to reflect deeply on the Church’s mission and future path.
Addressing the Cardinals in his homily, Pope said the Consistory is a moment of grace that shows their unity in service to the Church. He explained that the word consistory comes from a Latin term meaning to stop, noting that the Cardinals had set aside their daily responsibilities to gather in Rome for prayer and discernment.
Pope said this pause is especially meaningful in a fast paced world, describing it as a prophetic gesture that allows Church leaders to listen, pray, and refocus on what the Lord asks of them for the good of His people.
He reminded the Cardinals that their role is not to promote personal or collective agendas, but to discern together in the light of the Eucharist so that their plans may be purified and renewed by Christ.
Pope Leo said the College of Cardinals is not primarily meant to be a group of experts, but a community of faith where each person’s gifts, offered to God, can bear fruit according to His will.
He invited the Cardinals to turn this moment of stopping into an act of love toward God, the Church, and humanity, encouraging them to listen to one another in prayer and silence and to become a voice for those entrusted to their pastoral care.
Pope described the Consistory as an act to be lived with humility and generosity, reminding the Cardinals that everything they carry in their ministry is a gift to be used with wisdom and courage.
Recalling the words of Pope Saint Leo the Great, he called on Church leaders to work together so that the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, and personal interests never come before the needs of others.
Pope Leo also spoke of the Church’s rich and varied beauty, saying the Consistory reflects its unity of faith and grace. He urged the Cardinals to respond to the deep desire for peace felt by many people who struggle amid hardship and inner emptiness.
The purpose of their gathering, he said, is to help one another and Pope share the spiritual nourishment that God continually provides, just as the five loaves and two fishes were multiplied for the crowd.
Concluding his homily, Pope Leo thanked the Cardinals for their faithful service and entrusted their work together to the Lord, acknowledging the heavy responsibility they share with the Successor of Peter.