Pope Leo reminded those present that the Church’s mission is to bring people together through genuine human connection, saying that the world is filled with suffering and that the Church must offer hope, welcome and communion.
Pope Leo XIV opened the Extraordinary Consistory on Friday, 26 June, with 178 cardinals gathering in Rome to talk about the big challenges facing the world and the Church today. After Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, the cardinals met in the Paul VI Hall to reflect on issues such as polarisation, violence, loneliness, migration, young people’s struggles and the loss of trust in institutions. The groups said the Church must be a welcoming home, stand up for peace and human dignity, and help people find hope through dialogue, prayer and real community. Pope Leo thanked the cardinals for their work and said the Church must respond to today’s suffering by creating more chances for people to meet, belong and live in communion.
“The ministry the Lord has entrusted to me cannot be lived alone. I need your experience, your pastoral wisdom, your knowledge of the Churches and of the peoples entrusted to you. I count on you to help me discern what the Spirit is saying today to the Church. I need your support: strong, explicit, and public. I need to feel supported by you as brothers.”
