Cardinals, in consistory, vote to focus on evangelization and synodality, rather than on Curia, liturgy

January 08, 2026

Meeting in the first extraordinary consistory of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, the members of the College of Cardinals voted last evening to discuss evangelization and synodality—thus effectively sidelining detailed discussion of the Roman Curia and the sacred liturgy.

In his opening address at the two-day consistory, Pope Leo said that “we will have the opportunity to engage in a communal reflection on four themes”:

• Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis’s 2013 apostolic exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world
• Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), Pope Francis’s 2022 apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia, and the role of the Curia and its relationship with the particular Churches (dioceses)
• synodality
• the liturgy

However, “due to time constraints, and in order to encourage a genuinely in-depth analysis, only two of them will be discussed specifically,” the Pope said.

Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, reported that “by a clear majority,” the cardinals voted to discuss synodality and the proclamation of the Gospel. The agency also reported that “roughly 170” of the 245 members of the College of Cardinals were present.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists that the sidelined themes could be discussed within the context of the chosen themes.

“One theme does not exclude another,” he said. “The Pope received indications of an urgency, or the perceived need, for certain themes. A way will be found to address them within the others.”

 

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Further information:

• Consistory: Cardinals choose synodality and mission as themes for reflection (Vatican News, 1/7/26)
• Pope Leo opens extraordinary consistory with call to mutual love and listening (CWN, 1/8/26)
• Extraordinary consistory of College of Cardinals begins today (CWN, 1/7/26)