Extraordinary Consistory

It wasn't business as usual at the Vatican last week. As the Holy See Press Office filled with journalists on the evening of January 8, 2026, the atmosphere was one of candid reflection rather than formal proclamation.

The first Extraordinary Consistory of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate opened with a profound meditation by Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., reflecting on the Gospel passage of Jesus walking on the water (Mark 6:45–52).

Opening the first Extraordinary Consistory of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV issued a stirring call for unity to the College of Cardinals, reminding the Church’s highest prelates that the Gospel is spread not through proselytism, but through the irresistible power of "attraction."