8 hours ago
Usually SSPX News gives us an indult-esque, watered-down version of current events but this article decently emphasizes the implementation of what appears to be infrastructure for the 'synodal church'.
Leo XIV’s Collegial Shift
January 11, 2026
Source: FSSPX News [Emphasis The Catacombs]
At the conclusion of his first extraordinary consistory, Pope Leo XIV announced the convocation of a new meeting of the College of Cardinals on June 27 and 28, and expressed his desire to establish an annual rhythm for these consistories. This radical change in method contrasts sharply with the previous pontificate.
"If not new in substance, at least new in manner": this is the essence of the meeting of cardinals held behind closed doors on January 7 and 8, 2026, at the Vatican. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV would like the cardinals from around the world to meet again in Rome next June, and then annually for a longer duration.
While the convocation of an extraordinary consistory is not new, the real novelty lies in the perpetuation of these meetings. Until now, consistories were convened sporadically.
By establishing an annual frequency, Leo XIV is de facto transforming the College of Cardinals into a true permanent board of directors or, according to some analysts, into an active "senate," even if, at the current stage of understanding, the role of these meetings seems limited to a consultative dimension.
For some, this development aims to break the relative isolation of the top of the hierarchy. By regularly convening the cardinals, Leo XIV ensures that the realities of dioceses on all five continents are directly communicated to the Apostolic Palace. This method would allow for better responsiveness to local issues that often struggle to find a quick response from Rome.
Another benefit lies in the fact that the cardinals will get to know each other better in anticipation of a future conclave. Given the internationalization of the College of Cardinals and the growth in the number of electors, the princes of the Church were quite unanimous, during the last conclave, in saying that they knew each other very little, if at all.
One also senses the new Pope's desire to address the criticisms leveled before the conclave, during the general congregations, against the style of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who favored individual or small-group consultations rather than plenary consistories. Many cardinals regretted the lack of opportunities for collective debate.
Moreover, Pope Leo XIV himself was keen to cultivate a different image, that of a collaborative pontiff who listened more than he spoke and took notes during the interventions of the other cardinals, describing this consistory as a "prefiguration of our future path," while also paying tribute to the elderly and absent cardinals: "Your testimony is precious.... We are with you and we are close to you," he declared.
But this method could have its limitations: by establishing these annual consistories, Pope Leo XIV is outlining a pontificate rooted in the collegiality manifested during the Second Vatican Council, with the unintended consequences that can still be observed in many parts of the universal Church, such as in Germany.
Is there not a risk that this "parliamentarization" of the Church will slow down decision-making and dilute the authority of the successor of Peter? The question at least deserves to be asked.
In any case, this collegial shift, if it proves lasting, could well be one of the most significant first steps of the new pontificate.
Leo XIV’s Collegial Shift
January 11, 2026
Source: FSSPX News [Emphasis The Catacombs]
At the conclusion of his first extraordinary consistory, Pope Leo XIV announced the convocation of a new meeting of the College of Cardinals on June 27 and 28, and expressed his desire to establish an annual rhythm for these consistories. This radical change in method contrasts sharply with the previous pontificate.
"If not new in substance, at least new in manner": this is the essence of the meeting of cardinals held behind closed doors on January 7 and 8, 2026, at the Vatican. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV would like the cardinals from around the world to meet again in Rome next June, and then annually for a longer duration.
While the convocation of an extraordinary consistory is not new, the real novelty lies in the perpetuation of these meetings. Until now, consistories were convened sporadically.
By establishing an annual frequency, Leo XIV is de facto transforming the College of Cardinals into a true permanent board of directors or, according to some analysts, into an active "senate," even if, at the current stage of understanding, the role of these meetings seems limited to a consultative dimension.
For some, this development aims to break the relative isolation of the top of the hierarchy. By regularly convening the cardinals, Leo XIV ensures that the realities of dioceses on all five continents are directly communicated to the Apostolic Palace. This method would allow for better responsiveness to local issues that often struggle to find a quick response from Rome.
Another benefit lies in the fact that the cardinals will get to know each other better in anticipation of a future conclave. Given the internationalization of the College of Cardinals and the growth in the number of electors, the princes of the Church were quite unanimous, during the last conclave, in saying that they knew each other very little, if at all.
One also senses the new Pope's desire to address the criticisms leveled before the conclave, during the general congregations, against the style of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who favored individual or small-group consultations rather than plenary consistories. Many cardinals regretted the lack of opportunities for collective debate.
Moreover, Pope Leo XIV himself was keen to cultivate a different image, that of a collaborative pontiff who listened more than he spoke and took notes during the interventions of the other cardinals, describing this consistory as a "prefiguration of our future path," while also paying tribute to the elderly and absent cardinals: "Your testimony is precious.... We are with you and we are close to you," he declared.
But this method could have its limitations: by establishing these annual consistories, Pope Leo XIV is outlining a pontificate rooted in the collegiality manifested during the Second Vatican Council, with the unintended consequences that can still be observed in many parts of the universal Church, such as in Germany.
Is there not a risk that this "parliamentarization" of the Church will slow down decision-making and dilute the authority of the successor of Peter? The question at least deserves to be asked.
In any case, this collegial shift, if it proves lasting, could well be one of the most significant first steps of the new pontificate.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre