In an April 12 letter addressed to the world's cardinals and made public on Tuesday, April 14, Pope Leo XIV announced an upcoming consistory, to take place on June 26 and 27. The cardinals will focus on evangelization, "necessary reforms of the processes of Christian initiation," and "the effectiveness of ecclesial communication."
Pope Leo XIV first announced this new "extraordinary" consistory last January. It will be held behind closed doors and open to all cardinals, regardless of whether they are eligible to vote in a conclave.
During the previous consistory on January 7 and 8, the pontiff explained that these meetings stemmed from requests made during the conclave. He indicated they would become an annual three- or four-day gathering starting in 2027.
Pope Leo has also convoked the presidents of Bishops’ Conferences to Rome in October 2026 for a meeting to discuss ways to proclaim the Gospel to families today.
In his missive to the cardinals, the pontiff noted how much he appreciated the work the cardinals accomplished in January. He described their contributions as a "resource of lasting value" that he hopes “will mature through ecclesial discernment."
He informed them that "more detailed information" will be sent out soon to help them best prepare for the June 26 and 27 gathering.
A focus on 'Evangelii Gaudium'
The Pope recalled how he focused on the theme of synodality in his concluding address at the last consistory. However, in this letter, he dwells more extensively on the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which the cardinals had also studied. Pope Francis published this document in 2013, focusing on the proclamation of the Gospel in today's world.
"Your contributions make it clear that this Exhortation continues to be a significant point of reference," Pope Leo XIV noted in his letter.
“On a personal level, it calls every baptized person to renew their encounter with Christ, moving from a faith merely received to a faith truly lived and experienced," the Pope emphasized. Meanwhile, on a "community level," this apostolic exhortation "calls for a shift from a pastoral approach of maintenance to one of mission."
Pope Francis's reflection gives rise to "a Christ-centered mission" that spreads "through attraction rather than conquest," the American pontiff wrote. "It is an integral mission" that must not give in "to the temptation of proselytism nor to a merely institutional mentality of preservation or expansion," he added.
Even when it’s in a minority, the Church “is called to live with confident courage," the Pope wrote to the cardinals. He also warned them that the goal of the mission is not "survival," but rather "the communication of the love with which God loves the world."
Three proposed topics for June
The Pope announced that the reflections on Evangelii Gaudium from the January consistory deserve to be "welcomed and reflected on further." He therefore wishes to take stock of what "what has actually been embraced over the years and what, by contrast, remains unfamiliar or unimplemented" from this apostolic exhortation.
Pope Leo XIV then listed the specific topics that might also be discussed during their next gathering. Among them are "the necessary reforms of the processes of Christian initiation" and "the importance of valuing apostolic and pastoral visits." The cardinals will also reconsider "the effectiveness of ecclesial communication, including at the level of the Holy See."
Pending themes?
Pope Leo had proposed four possible themes for the January consistory, from which the cardinals could select two for discussion. They chose the themes of the mission of the Church in today’s world (through the lens of Evangelii Gaudium), and synodality (in continuity with the Synod on Synodality). This left on the table the themes of the service of the Holy See to the particular Churches (through the document Praedicate Evangelium), and the liturgy.
Since then, there has been some speculation in the media that the remaining two themes would be addressed in the follow-up consistory in the summer. The topic of the liturgy is of particular interest to many who are waiting to see how Pope Leo XIV handles the hot-button topic of the use of the pre-Vatican II rite in Latin. However, the liturgy and Praedicate Evangelium are not mentioned at all in the letter about this summer’s consistory.
Indeed, up until now Pope Leo XIV has not taken a clear public stance regarding the “Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite,” or the “Traditional Latin Mass,” as it is sometimes called. Specifically, he has not pronounced himself in any way on Pope Francis’ motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, which severely limited the permissions granted by Benedict XVI in Summorum Pontificum. However, some say Pope Leo XIV seems to be taking a more lenient approach in practice.
Whether this theme will be addressed in a future consistory is unknown. However, since the pontiff does plan on holding these meetings with the cardinals annually, there’s no reason to exclude the possibility.
