The Vatican Museums has launched an ambitious restoration to the frescoes of the Hall of Raphael in the Apostolic Palace, expected to take five years and to cost 5.5 million euros (around $6.3 million).

The Renaissance frescoes — which date to the early 16th century and have been virtually untouched since their creation — are in dire need of cleaning and repairing, according to the Vatican Museums.

A team of over 20 conservators began the delicate work, utilizing laser technology, on April 15. The process is expected to conclude in 2031.

A view of the west wing of the second loggia, or second floor, of the Apostolic Palace, also known as the Hall of Raphael, decorated in the 16th century from designs by the High Renaissance painter Raphael. | Credit: A. Bracchetti/Vatican City State Governorate/Vatican Museums Directorate

The corridor, which is 210 feet long and 13 feet wide, boasts nearly 14,000 square feet of frescoes and stucco work designed by Raphael and executed between 1517 and 1519 by Raphael’s assistants, Giulio Romano, Giovanni da Udine, and Perin del Vaga. The designs include scenes from the Old Testament, botanical designs, and grotesques.

Raphael, a prominent artist and architect of the High Renaissance, had been commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. Pope Leo X brought the artist back to decorate one of the loggias, a hall on the west wing of the second floor, overlooking the Courtyard of St. Damasus.

The decorated hall, also known as the Loggia of Raphael, was “immediately considered one of the highest expressions of Renaissance art applied to architecture,” per a June 24 press release from the Vatican Museums. “It is still today one of the most refined testimonies of the figurative language of the early 16th century.”

One of a team of over 20 restorers uses adhesive injections to stabilize the paint film of the frescoes in the Hall of Raphael in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace in June 2026. | Credit: Painting and Wood Materials Restoration Laboratory of the Vatican Museums/Governorate of Vatican City State/Vatican Museums Directorate

The hall is “a passageway long traversed by cardinals, high prelates, and ambassadors visiting the pope, admired and copied by the greatest Italian and foreign artists and an essential destination of the Grand Tour,” said Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, quoted in the statement.

The conservation work “will mark a pivotal moment both in the history of restoration and in the history of Italian Renaissance art,” she said.

The cost of the project, which is the first-ever major restoration of the frescoes, is sponsored by the World Monuments Fund and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation.

Delicate restoration process A conservator assesses the result of the paint film lifting on the frescoes in the Hall of Raphael in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. | Credit: Painting and Wood Materials Restoration Laboratory of the Vatican Museums/Governorate of Vatican City State/Vatican Museums Directorate

Angela Cerreta, the director of the restoration, told the Spanish news outlet ABC in June that the paintings are not in a good condition: “It’s a very delicate surface and has been exposed to the elements for centuries. For many years, it was copied for fear of its loss.”

“We are meticulously analyzing the engravings to observe all the phases prior to the losses,” he said, explaining that in the 1970s, the Vatican attempted to restore the hall using inorganic products, but the result did not turn out well.

“Since then, a kind of negative legend has arisen about this hall, suggesting it was best left untouched," Cerreta told the Spanish news outlet. But between 2019 and 2023, conservators carried out additional restoration tests to find the right technology.

A conservationist removes surface dust from the Hall of Raphael in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace in June 2026. | Credit: Painting and Wood Materials Restoration Laboratory of the Vatican Museums/Vatican City State Governorate/Vatican Museums Directorate

The Vatican Museums’ chief restorer of paintings and wood materials, Paolo Violini, said that “Examination of the surface revealed the need to adopt a ‘dry’ cleaning method in order to preserve the delicate original layers and their fragile surviving traces, which are highly sensitive to the action of chemical procedures. Laser technology proved exceptionally effective in meeting this requirement.”

“Following a series of tests employing different systems and operating modes, an ‘active fiber’ model was selected for its versatility in managing the degree of cleaning, allowing for highly accurate and detailed control,” he said, per the statement.

Part of the restoration process will be the installation of a new lighting system and new filtered windows to protect the frescoes from ultraviolet radiation and to reduce solar heat. The cost of the lighting and windows is supported by the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.

After the restoration concludes, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation will cover the cost of digitizing the artwork, and the Vatican Museums is also weighing the possibility of opening the hallway to the public on specific dates.

Pope Leo XIV is not even two years into his pontificate and he is already facing one of the most delicate episodes of his ministry: a new rupture within the Church.

In a defiant move and despite repeated warnings from Rome, the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) went ahead Wednesday with the consecration of four new bishops without a pontifical mandate — an act of open disobedience to the authority of the pope that, under canon law, carries automatic excommunication for the six bishops involved.

The Vatican’s official response is now awaited and could include a formal declaration of schism, as Rome had warned in the days leading up to the ceremony.

In 1988, after Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the SSPX, consecrated bishops without a papal mandate, Rome responded two days later. On July 2, St. John Paul II published the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei, in which he spoke openly of a “rupture” of ecclesial communion and created a commission to help reconcile faithful linked to the society.

A schism is a tragedy for any pope. In the case of Pope Leo XIV, it also carries a more personal resonance: The pope belongs to the Augustinian order, the same religious family to which Martin Luther belonged, whose break with Rome helped lead to the Protestant Reformation and the fracturing of Western Christianity.

A repeated act of defiance

The illicit ceremony took place in a meadow in Écône, Switzerland, home to the SSPX international seminary — the same place where Lefebvre caused a rupture with Rome exactly 38 years ago by consecrating four bishops without the required pontifical mandate.

That act of defiance was repeated Wednesday, July 1, apparently without regret, despite the paternal plea in which Pope Leo XIV warned Tuesday of the “sin of extreme gravity” they were about to commit.

The ceremony was carried out by the two surviving bishops from the illicit 1988 consecrations. Spanish Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta presided as principal consecrator, assisted by Swiss Bishop Bernard Fellay as co-consecrator.

The new bishops — Swiss Father Pascal Schreiber; American Father Michael Goldade; and French Fathers Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier — were designated as auxiliaries of the society with the stated aim of serving the Church, though in practice the act marks a decisive step toward rupture.

Provocative symbolism

The ceremony included several elements loaded with symbolism recalling — not without a certain provocation — the 1988 consecrations. The throne on which De Galarreta sat was the one once used by Lefebvre. The vestments worn by the bishops were those used by the four bishops ordained 38 years ago.

Thousands of faithful arrived hours early, many dressed in traditional attire and straw hats and carrying folding chairs, in an atmosphere that mixed celebration with solemnity. For the occasion, the SSPX even sold commemorative items, including an exclusive 75 Swiss franc box of wine — about $92.50 — called “Cuvée des Sacres,” featuring pinot noir, syrah, petit arvine, and fendant, with each bottle decorated with the image of one of the consecrated bishops.

De Galarreta whispered the liturgical formulas into the microphone, strictly in Latin, with his back to the 17,000 faithful present, according to organizers. Those gathered came from nearly 70 countries.

Without the pope’s mandate

Outwardly, the episcopal consecration followed a valid rite. But it lacked a key element to make it licit: the mandate of the pope.

The ceremony began with a solemn procession to an altar set up beneath a tent, with members of several religious orders linked to the SSPX taking part. Priests and religious sisters connected to the society sat in the front rows.

Many families were also present, following the rite on giant screens set up in the Swiss field.

In principle, those faithful did not automatically incur excommunication. Father Pierpaolo Dal Corso, an expert in penal and sacramental canon law, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that such a penalty would apply only if they rejected the authority of the pope or the legitimacy of the Catholic Church.

In 1996, the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts clarified that excommunication for schism does not automatically apply to those who attend SSPX celebrations. In the same line, canonist Monsignor William King told ACI Prensa that excommunication requires conscious adherence to the denial of the pope’s authority.

Before the rite of consecration, Father Davide Pagliarani, the SSPX superior general, spoke and even defended the need to canonize Lefebvre. The movement’s founder died in 1991 without public signs of repentance, a necessary condition for full reconciliation with Rome.

An invalid argument

Pagliarani read a text justifying the consecrations by appealing to an alleged “state of necessity,” an argument also used in 1988, though the Holy See has repeatedly said it does not apply — especially after an explicit warning from the pope.

In his remarks, Pagliarani made clear his doctrinal break, saying that “from the Second Vatican Council to our own day, the authorities of the Church have been imbued with a spirit contrary to the faith and have acted against holy tradition.”

“We consider it a sacred duty toward Holy Mother Church and souls to proceed with the consecration of bishops fully faithful to holy tradition and the constant magisterium of the Church,” he added.

The four candidates pronounced their oath in Latin, even pledging to “fight against schismatic heretics,” in a paradox that did not go unnoticed.

The SSPX superior general insisted on rejecting what he called a “false dilemma” between fidelity to the faith and ecclesial communion, attempting to argue that the society’s decision does not constitute a break with the Catholic Church.

But the canonical situation of the SSPX remains complex. The society continues to reject key elements of the Second Vatican Council, especially Dignitatis Humanae, the council’s declaration on religious freedom.

“We are accused of not respecting the pope, but it is precisely because we love him as the vicar of Christ that we do not want to see him humiliated alongside false shepherds, representatives of false religions,” Pagliarani said, effectively closing the door to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

“We live these consecrations in joy and hope. We do not live them in polemics, tension, bitterness, or resentment,” he said.

“Your worst enemies will not attack you head-on, but will try to make you slide gradually toward a more updated perception of the faith and of relations with the world. When you sense this danger, reflect, pray, seek counsel, evaluate, remain still before reacting like a serpent,” he urged the newly consecrated bishops.

He added: “Never, ever retreat. That is what it means to be like a serpent: to perceive the duplicity, the ambiguity, the cunning that exists in the world.”

“God now asks us to be treated as rebels,” Pagliarani declared at another point.

The SSPX is already clearly outside the canonical jurisdiction of the Church. But with this new step, it has directly defied the pope. If the Vatican now formally declares a schism, its members will become even more isolated, without the possibility of receiving any ministry or mission in dioceses. That would leave its members — some 600,000 people — headed toward an increasingly sectarian circle.

Although SSPX priests are suspended, Pope Francis granted them faculties to hear confessions and witness marriages. If a schism is confirmed, those concessions could be reviewed.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article implied that the 1988 consecrations took place on July 1. The correct date is June 30.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s financial intelligence and anti-money-laundering authority has been overhauled under a new 12-article statute that eliminates its president and board and places it under a new structure led by a director and deputy director appointed by the pope.

The Authority for Financial Information and Supervision, known by its Italian acronym ASIF, is now effectively structured as an office, with its leadership appointed directly by the pope for five-year terms and operating within the Vatican’s economic governance system.

The change marks a significant shift for an authority that, under its earlier identity as the Financial Information Authority and later as ASIF, had been designed with an international profile and a measure of autonomy in the Vatican’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

That autonomy had already come under strain in recent years, especially after the Vatican trial over the management of funds by the Secretariat of State. Searches of the authority’s offices by Vatican gendarmes created complications for international financial cooperation and raised questions about the authority’s independence.

The new statute confirms that ASIF has “exclusive competence” in three areas: supervision and regulation for the prevention and countering of money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; financial intelligence, including the receipt and analysis of suspicious activity reports and domestic and international cooperation; and prudential supervision and regulation of entities that professionally conduct financial activities.

The authority also “provides support to the other public authorities of the Holy See and Vatican City State” in preventing and countering money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, and related predicate offenses.

The statute says ASIF may also “serve as an alternative dispute resolution system” for disputes between users and entities that professionally carry out financial activities in connection with financial operations and services.

Under the new rules, ASIF’s annual report must be submitted to the Council for the Economy, with a copy sent to the president of the Financial Security Committee. The authority will also submit its projected and final budgets directly to the Council for the Economy for approval, “in accordance with the accounting rules in force.”

The statute says the authority will receive its annual operating funds from the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, the Governorate of Vatican City State, and entities that professionally conduct financial activities. The Council for the Economy will determine the contribution required from each.

The authority’s structure now includes three offices: an office for supervision and regulation in the area of preventing and countering money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing; an office for financial intelligence; and an office for prudential supervision and regulation.

The new statute also establishes a legal affairs officer, who, among other duties, is responsible for fundamental rights in the context of financial intelligence activity.

With the reform, ASIF is effectively treated as equivalent to a dicastery of the Roman Curia. The statute also provides for consultors, who were not part of the authority’s previous structure and will be appointed by the pope for five-year terms.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV continues to make changes to the leadership of the Roman Curia with new appointments to the No. 2 position in two key dicasteries: the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, responsible for promoting and ensuring the proper application of canon law in the Latin and Eastern Churches, and the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, tasked with channeling resources for the charitable work of the Holy Father.

The Vatican announced June 30 that the pontiff appointed Bishop Marco Mellino secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts. He has been serving as adjunct secretary of the same office.

Leo also appointed Father Lucio Adrián Ruiz secretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity; he previously served as secretary of the Dicastery for Communication.

In addition, the Holy Father named layman Massimo Ralli, who was working as an official in the charity dicastery, to serve as its undersecretary. Both Ralli and Ruiz will undertake their new roles starting Sept. 1.

Mellino, 59, had previously served as secretary of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals. He was ordained a priest in 1991 and has also worked in the Secretariat of State. Since 2022, he had also served as secretary of the Interdicasterial Commission for the Revision of the General Regulations of the Roman Curia.

Ruiz was born in Argentina in 1965 and ordained a priest in 1990. He has extensive experience in ecclesial communications and new technologies. He holds a master’s degree in business administration and a doctorate from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Over the course of his career, he has held various positions, including IT adviser to the Argentine Bishops’ Conference and an official of the Congregation for the Clergy. He has also been head of the Vatican Internet Services office, a professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and president of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Center.

The role of secretary in the Vatican structure

The role of secretary — the No. 2 position after prefect — is central in the Vatican dicasteries, involving directing the day-to-day operations and coordinating the technical and administrative work.

With Tuesday’s appointments, the pope continues to change the intermediate officials in dicasteries for which he appointed the top leaders earlier this year. In March, Leo named Archbishop Anthony Randazzo, then-bishop of Broken Bay, Australia, as prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts. He also appointed Spanish Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín as papal almoner — that is, head — of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.

2 women prefects appointed by Leo

Among other recent moves, the pope transferred Archbishop Filippo Iannone, then-prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, to head the Dicastery for Bishops, in September 2025. In March, Leo XIV appointed Canadian Archbishop Petar Rajič as the new prefect of the Pontifical Household, the office of the Roman Curia responsible for organizing the pope’s schedule, audiences, and ceremonies.

He also appointed two women to head different dicasteries: On June 2, he named María Montserrat Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, as prefect of the Dicastery for Communication. In addition, on June 30, Leo appointed Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli as prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

New members and consultors of the Dicastery for Evangelization

The pope on June 30 also appointed new members and consultors to the Dicastery for Evangelization in its Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches in a move that strengthens the missionary and universal character of this key body of the Roman Curia.

Among the new members are prominent cardinals and bishops from different regions of the world, reflecting the global dimension of evangelization.

Appointed members were Cardinals Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu, Japan; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille, France; and Frank Leo, archbishop of Toronto in Canada.

Along with them, the pontiff added several archbishops and bishops as members, including Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos, Nigeria; Angelo Vincenzo Zani, archivist and librarian emeritus of the Holy Roman Church; Paolo Giulietti, archbishop of Lucca, Italy; Andrew Nkea Fuanya, archbishop of Bamenda, Cameroon; and Peter Chung Soon-taick, archbishop of Seoul, South Korea.

Also part of this group are Michel Jalakh, secretary of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; Paulus Budi Kleden, archbishop of Ende, Indonesia; Oscar Roberto Domínguez Couttolenc, archbishop of Tulancingo, Mexico; Elias Frank, archbishop of Calcutta, India; Daniel Ernest Flores, bishop of Brownsville, Texas; and Lisandro Alirio Rivas Durán, bishop of San Cristóbal, Venezuela. They are joined by Monsignor Roger Joseph Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, and Father Francesco Rapacioli, superior general of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.

At the same time, Leo XIV appointed as consultors of the same dicastery Davide Carbonaro, archbishop of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo, Italy, and François Sylla, archbishop of Conakry, Guinea. Completing the list are Father Remigio Bellizio, director of the Domus Missionalis in Rome, as well as Father Joseph Koonamparampil and Father Wenceslaus C. Madu, both members of the Claretian Missionaries.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Amid a sexual abuse scandal affecting the Diocese of Northampton in the United Kingdom, Pope Leo XIV named an apostolic administrator to oversee the diocese until a new bishop is appointed.

The pontiff named Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster to replace Bishop David Oakley, who was charged with abuse of an underage girl.

In a statement addressing the charges against Oakley, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales expressed its pain upon learning of them and offered a heartfelt apology to all those affected.

“We are profoundly aware that the report of this allegation may reawaken painful memories for many people and again offer an unreserved apology to those who have been hurt by abuse in the Catholic Church in England and Wales,” the bishops’ statement said.

The bishops’ conference also reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding and ensuring the safety of all who attend their parishes and schools.

“Anybody who comes to our parishes, schools, and communities must be safe, and we are resolute in our commitment to safeguarding.”

“We are committed to continual review and development, assisted by the independent auditing work of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency, so that all our communities are places of safety and sanctuary for all,” the bishops wrote.

The Diocese of Northampton did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday named Italian economist Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, to succeed Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ as prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Cardinal Czerny will turn 80 on July 18, while the 51-year-old Salesian sister has been secretary, the No. 2 position at the dicastery, since August 2021. She was previously an undersecretary from March of the same year.

The pope has also appointed a pro-prefect to serve alongside Smerilli: the Italian Cardinal Fabio Baggio, CS, who has been the dicastery’s undersecretary since 2022. The nomination of a bishop to serve as pro-prefect follows a precedent set with the nomination of the first woman prefect — Sr. Simona Brambilla, MC, of the religious life dicastery — in early 2025.

Cardinal Fabio Baggio, CS, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, was created a cardinal by Pope Francis during the consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 7, 2024. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News

Smerilli is a professor of political economy and statistics at the Auxilium Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences and on the board of directors of the Laudato Si’ Higher Education Center, which is led by Baggio.

In 2020, she was one of the principal organizers of the Economy of Francesco online event. She also served in the past as a councilor of the Vatican City State and a member of the short-lived Vatican fundraising commission.

With Smerilli’s nomination, Leo continues his predecessor Pope Francis’ innovation of appointing women to the highest roles at the Vatican, including the appointment of Montserrat Alvarado — currently the president and COO of EWTN News — as the first woman to lead the Dicastery for Communications earlier this month.

Baggio, 61, was both appointed an archbishop and made a cardinal by Pope Francis in late 2024, after working since early 2017 in the human development dicastery, first as undersecretary of the migrants and refugees section alongside Czerny, and then as undersecretary of the dicastery following the reform of the Roman Curia in 2022.

Prior to his roles at the Vatican, Baggio taught in Argentina, Brazil, the Philippines, and in Rome. He is also a composer of sacred and liturgical music.

Cardinal Michael Czerny steps down as prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development after serving as its head since 2022. | Credit: Pablo Esparza/EWTN News

Czerny, who reaches the mandatory retirement age for prefects next month, concludes a term in the leadership of the integral human development office that began with its creation nearly a decade ago.

A Canadian Jesuit born in what was then Brno, Czechoslovakia, Czerny served for years in the Jesuit General Curia in Rome starting in the early 1990s. He was also the personal assistant to Cardinal Peter Turkson from 2010-2016.

In 2017, he started as under-secretary of the migrants and refugees section of the newly-formed Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, with the pope himself as the department’s official head. Czerny was made prefect in 2022.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in October 2019.

Pope Leo also appointed on June 30 Father Jozef Barlaš as secretary of the human development dicastery.

The Slovakian priest has been undersecretary since November 2025. He has a doctorate in canon law and served as an official in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State from 2020-2022.

Smerilli, Baggio, and Barlaš will start their new roles on Sept. 1.

The Vatican Observatory, one of the oldest astronomical institutions in the world, hosted its prestigious Vatican Observatory Lectures at its headquarters in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, last week. This year’s series focused on quantum gravity.

The event brought together internationally renowned experts and a select group of doctoral students and young researchers who delved into one of the most complex and fascinating problems in modern physics: unifying quantum mechanics with general relativity.

The difficulty of this challenge lies in the very nature of the two theories. While quantum mechanics describes the behavior of elementary particles with enormous precision, Albert Einsteinʼs general relativity explains gravity as the curvature of space-time on a large scale. However, the two frameworks prove incompatible when one attempts to apply them simultaneously.

In relativity, space and time are not an immutable scenario but rather dynamic entities that warp and evolve. Attempting to subject these quantities to the rules of quantum physics gives rise to profound mathematical inconsistencies.

One of the best known is the so-called “perturbative non-renormalizability.” In simple terms, renormalizing involves controlling the infinite corrections that appear in quantum calculations in order to make physical predictions.

This method works in the other fundamental forces of nature but fails in the case of gravity, where these corrections multiply without limit, generating an infinite number of parameters that makes the theory unviable. Overcoming this obstacle constitutes one of the great objectives of current theoretical physics.

The conferences, held at the observatory’s headquarters in Castel Gandolfo and coordinated by Jesuit Father Gabriele Gionti and Father Matteo Galaverni, explored the issues from various perspectives.

Professor Claus Kiefer of the University of Cologne in Germany presented the canonical (in a nonreligious sense) quantization approach to gravity, focusing on the so-called “problem of time.”

If time itself is subject to quantum fluctuations, a fundamental question arises: How do we define the evolution of a physical system? Kiefer explored the implications of this issue for the study of black holes, including the nature of singularities where gravity reaches extreme levels.

Professor Roberto Percacci of the International Higher School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy, presented a covariant approach in which gravitons — hypothetical particles that mediate gravity — are treated as spin-2 quantum fields.

A particular highlight was the asymptotic safety program — a proposal suggesting that gravity could be consistent within the quantum regime without recourse to additional exotic entities, thanks to the specific behavior of its constants at very high energies.

From a more conceptual perspective, Professor Sergio Cacciatori of the University of Insubria in Italy delved into the difficulties inherent in quantizing a universe where the very fabric of space-time is subject to uncertainty.

His remarks highlighted questions that border on the philosophical yet carry very concrete technical implications: What does it mean to measure time when it fluctuates? How is observation defined in a context where the observer is part of the system?

Finally, Professor Pierpaolo Mastrolia of the University of Padua in Italy contributed the scattering amplitude approach, a key tool for calculating particle interaction probabilities. His research reveals surprising parallels between the theories describing fundamental forces such as electromagnetism and nuclear interactions and certain formulations of quantum gravity, such as supergravity or string theory. These analogies open up promising avenues toward possibly unifying quantum mechanics with general relativity.

Beyond the technical aspects, these lessons have once again highlighted the uniqueness of the Vatican Observatory as a meeting place between traditions, disciplines, and generations. In an environment marked by centuries of history, young researchers not only receive high-level training but also participate in a setting of free and open dialogue where the great questions of human knowledge, such as the origin of the universe or the ultimate nature of space and time, can be addressed without prejudices.

Founded in the 16th century at the behest of Pope Gregory XIII, who ordered the construction of the Tower of the Winds at the Vatican and gathered astronomers and mathematicians to reform the calendar, the Vatican Observatory has maintained a constant quest to understand the universe throughout the centuries. It was Pope Leo XIII who, in the late 19th century, revitalized its research activities, establishing it as an international point of reference.

At a time when science is advancing in the study of the infinitely small and the immeasurably large, the Vatican has reaffirmed its commitment to research and critical thought. For, as quantum gravity demonstrates, the deepest questions remain open, and finding their answers is a task that can only be tackled as a community.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV has issued a letter to the traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) asking them not to proceed with their planned July 1 consecrations without papal approval.

In a letter published June 30, the eve of the episcopal consecrations in Écône, Switzerland, the pope issued a final appeal to the SSPX superior general, Fr. Davide Pagliarani, not to commit this “schismatic act.”

“In this spirit, and filled with Christian affection, I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!”

“I urge you to consider the spiritual good of the faithful carefully, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit and, in some cases, even valid reception of the Sacraments, which they love and seek for their sanctification,” Leo wrote in his letter.

The pontiff also warned the SSPX of the serious consequences of their planned episcopal consecrations, calling it “a sin of extreme gravity.”

“I pray for you, because to tear the seamless garment of Christ is a sin of extreme gravity,” Leo wrote. “May the Lord enlighten your consciences and awaken your hearts.

The Vatican stated on May 13 that the consecrations would be a schismatic act, resulting in automatic excommunication for the consecrating bishops and those consecrated.

On June 16, Pope Leo warned the SSPX that their planned episcopal consecrations risked schism and said that he and the Holy See were preparing a final appeal to the society.

The SSPX exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass and has rejected certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding religious freedom and the Church’s approach to other faiths.

SSPX did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

During the Mass on June 29 at St. Peter’s Basilica for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Pope Leo XIV conferred the pallium on the 35 metropolitan archbishops who had been appointed the previous year.

Of these archbishops, four hail from the United States: Archbishops Ronald Hicks of New York, James Golka of Denver, James Checchio of New Orleans, and Mark Rivituso of Mobile, Alabama.

Hundreds of pilgrims were part of delegations accompanying the new archbishops. The pilgrims described the experience as historic, witnessing the first American pope, Leo XIV, bestow the pallium, and expressed their hope that their new shepherds would bring youthful energy to the faithful they now serve.

A ‘surreal’ experience full of emotion

After the pallium Mass, the new archbishops attended a reception at the Pontifical North American College (PNAC), which has trained American seminarians for the priesthood since 1859.

Golka, appointed to Denver in February, described receiving the pallium as a profoundly emotional experience.

“To hear him [Pope Leo] say, ‘Peace be with you’ in English. And then I greeted him back, ‘And with your spirit.’ And then I said, ‘I pray for you every day.’ And he said, ‘Thank you.’ And then I was crying on the way back to my chair,” Golka told EWTN News.

Participants celebrate at a reception at the Pontifical North American College in Rome held in honor of the U.S. metropolitan archbishops who received the pallium from Pope Leo XIV on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

Scott Elmer, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Denver, added: “It’s definitely breathtaking to see so many bishops, priests, laity, and cardinals from all over the world gathering together. Hearing so many languages being spoken, yet all being one in our Catholic faith and worshipping the Lord as one in the holy Mass was really a treat.”

Hicks also described his experience at the Mass and its significance for his archdiocese, following Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s leadership from 2009 to 2025.

“I thought the experience was beautiful, powerful, holy, sacred, and even a bit surreal. Iʼm still pinching myself,” Hicks told EWTN News.

Laura Moore Brown, 58, an attorney and parishioner of Ascension Parish in Manhattan, at the Pontifical North American College in Rome on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

“Iʼve met him before, and when I introduced myself afterward, I just said, ‘Hi, Iʼm Ron Hicks from New York.’ He said, ‘Of course I know.’ [Pope Leo] wants us to be a Church on mission. He wants us to make sure that what Christ himself has asked us to do is done in the spirit of love and in the spirit of charity.”

Laura Moore Brown, an attorney and parishioner at Ascension Parish in Manhattan, added: “I think whatʼs really exciting is that there is such a new surge of youth, meaning people in their 20s and 30s coming back to Mass, getting involved. I think the youthfulness of Archbishop Hicks will be a draw, and his relatability to that age group will increase enthusiasm and participation in the Church.”

Receiving the pallium from an American pope

Pilgrims also reflected on the historic nature of the pallium Mass, presided over by Leo XIV, the first American pope.

Checchio, who served as rector of the PNAC from 2005 to 2016, organized receptions for new U.S. archbishops during his tenure. To be on the receiving end, he said, was surreal.

“I had been, as you know, rector here for 12 and a half years, so I have attended many pallium services and hosted many archbishops from across our country for receptions here afterward,” Checchio told EWTN News. “But coming to receive it myself was a bit surreal. Receiving it from Pope Leo — an American pope — was even more so.”

Archbishop James Checchio of New Orleans in the courtyard of the Pontifical North American College in Rome on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

Checchio also commented on the difference in approach between Leo and his predecessor, Pope Francis, regarding the bestowal of the pallium. During the later part of Francis’ papacy, he did not place the pallium on the shoulders of the new archbishops, opting instead to bless the pallium and have the apostolic nuncios place it on them.

Checchio said he was grateful for the change.

“I am grateful for it. It’s a beautiful opportunity to make an oath of fidelity to him in his presence, as we shepherd our people in his name.”

Raechelle Munna, a parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in New Orleans, shared about the pilgrimage: “I knew that when I was invited to go on this pilgrimage, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I needed to be part of. We are still hoping for Pope Leo to visit us in New Orleans!”

Hopes for the future

A few of the pilgrims expressed their hopes for the new archbishops, none of whom have yet served a full year in their new dioceses.

Shannon Roh, the executive director of stewardship and development for the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, characterized the new archbishop, Rivituso, as a servant leader.

“I would say that, as a leader, he really comes across as a servant leader from the very beginning,” Roh told EWTN News. “He leads by example and gets right in there to help and be part of the solution. Whether it’s packing bags at a school or whatever, he wants to be part of it. He’s definitely a servant leader, kind, compassionate, with a big heart.”

Glynn Stephens Jr., 60, minister for hospitality at the Cathedral of St. Louis in New Orleans, at the Pontifical North American College in Rome on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

Glynn Stevens Jr., minister for hospitality at the Cathedral of St. Louis in New Orleans, expressed hope that Checchio would successfully lead his new diocese through a challenging financial period.

“Weʼre looking forward to his leadership, his skills. He comes with open arms. We have a lot of healing to do throughout our country, and he is definitely the man who I think can bring it to the city of New Orleans.”

Pope Leo XIV has called on Christians to emulate the example of Sts. Peter and Paul in working toward the unity of the Church and of all Christians.

The pontiff’s words were delivered during a Mass on June 29 at St. Peter’s Basilica for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome. During the Mass, Leo also bestowed the pallium — a circular band of lamb’s wool worn on the shoulders — on the 35 metropolitan archbishops appointed by the pope the previous year.

Having just concluded a two-day extraordinary consistory of cardinals, which ended on June 27, Leo explained that the example of Peter is an invitation for every Christian to work toward Church unity.

“Moreover, Peter’s example is an invitation to every Christian to become a builder of unity,” Leo said, “placing God at the center of one’s life and drawing close to one’s brothers and sisters, attentive to their circumstances and needs. In this way, we learn to live with one another in charity, so that the message might be fully proclaimed.”

Referring to the conversion of St. Paul, the pope explained that Paul can teach Christians to choose peace over violence. Quoting a homily by St. Augustine for the feast, he emphasized that God took a “persecutor of the Church and made him a messenger of peace.”

Pope Leo XIV bestows the pallium on New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks during a Mass for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul at St. Peter’s Basilica on June 29, 2026, at the Vatican. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

“The Apostle to the Gentiles allowed himself to be transformed by the power of God’s word, which rescued him from the way of violence and led him onto the path of love.”

Addressing the new archbishops present at the ceremony and a delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Leo explained the pallium’s significance as an expression of the mission of every Christian.

“These bands of white wool adorned with crosses indeed express the commitment of every shepherd — and also of every Christian — to take upon their shoulders the brothers and sisters entrusted to them, like so many lambs of the Lord’s flock, and to sacrifice their energy, time, effort, and even their lives for them,” Leo said.

A detail of the statue of St. Peter during a Mass with Pope Leo XIV for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29, 2026, at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

In his Angelus address following the Mass, the pope urged the faithful to support his mission by generously donating to the Peter’s Pence collection. Peter’s Pence is a global initiative that helps fund the pope’s activities and the Holy See’s charitable works worldwide.

Pope Leo XIV has decreed the dismissal from the clerical state of Francisco José Vegara Cerezo, who served as a priest of the Spanish Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, following a canonical process that was initiated due to his repeated public rejection of the authority of Pope Francis and, subsequently, of Leo XIV himself.

The case dates back to 2023, when a dialogue with Vegara Cerezo began following the publication of a 20-page manifesto in which he labeled Pope Francis a “heretic” and questioned the validity of his election.

The now laicized priest also criticized texts such as the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, by the late Argentine pontiff, and the declaration Fiducia Supplicans, from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In 2024, Vegara Cerezo’s obstinacy led his bishop, José Ignacio Munilla, to remove him from any office or position within the diocese.

Munilla admonished Vegara Cerezo in February 2024 and April 2025, urging him to alter the “stance expressed publicly and notoriously through various media outlets,” according to a statement issued by the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante on June 25, 2026.

In September 2025, Bishop Munilla issued a new decree prohibiting Vegara Cerezo from making public statements in the media — a measure Vegara decided to appeal to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy.

Following this, and after another article by Vegara Cerezo, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith asked him to retract from his offense of schism. Upon his failure to provide a satisfactory response, on April 30 Pope Leo decreed that he be dismissed from the clerical state — a decision that was communicated to him on June 20.

In his statement on the matter, Bishop Munilla asked for prayers for Francisco José Vegara Cerezo and recalled the words spoken by Pope Leo XIV on June 11 in the Canary Islands, during a meeting with Spanish bishops, priests, religious, and seminarians: “When you encounter difficulties, lift your gaze and ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to live united in faith, hope, and charity.”

What is schism?

Canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law defines schism as “the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.” The penalty for this canonical offense is usually excommunication, although in this instance the penalty was less severe: dismissal from the clerical state.

What does it mean for a priest to be dismissed from the clerical state?

A priest remains a priest forever; however, if he is sanctioned with dismissal or expulsion from the clerical state, he loses all the rights associated with that state. Consequently, he is no longer bound by celibacy and is prohibited from celebrating Mass, administering sacraments, or presenting himself as a priest.

There is only one exception: if a person is in danger of death and the priest who has been dismissed from the clerical state is present, Canon 976 establishes that he may validly administer the sacraments, as the salvation of souls takes precedence over the grave penalty imposed upon the priest.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed his closeness to the people of Venezuela after recent earthquakes, offering prayers for the victims and encouragement to rescue workers.

“I wish to express my solidarity with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquakes, which have caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive damage to property,” the pope said after praying the Angelus on June 28 in St. Peter’s Square.

“Praying to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I renew my spiritual solidarity with their families, the injured, and all who have been shaken by this tragedy,” he continued. “I also wish to express my gratitude and encouragement to those generously working on search and rescue efforts and providing assistance.”

Before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10:37–42, saying that Jesus’ call to discipleship is rooted in a love that requires “detachment, loss and hospitality.”

“In today’s Gospel reading, we hear some of Jesus’ exhortations on how to follow him and be witnesses to his kingdom,” the pope said. “This is not just a matter of outward acts, but of committing ourselves entirely to a loving relationship with him.”

The first requirement, he said, is detachment. Citing Jesus’ words — “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” — Pope Leo said the Lord wanted the apostles to be free for mission.

“When the Lord begins to send his apostles on mission, he wants them to be free from any ties,” he said. “However, this applies to everyone, as even the most significant relationships find their fullness through the love that Christ gives us.”

The pope pointed to married life as an example, saying it “can only be lived fully by ‘leaving’ one’s parents’ home in order to commit to the life of marriage.” He also spoke of raising children, saying parents help them “to fulfill themselves and be happy by teaching them to ‘stand on their own two feet’ and make their own choices.”

Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo said: “It is painful to part from what you love. Yet even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows.”

“Only by ‘losing’ that seed sown in the ground, can we see it blossom,” the pope added.

Pope Leo said Christians often struggle to understand that “love is also loss,” especially “in a world where losing is seen as weakness and we are obsessed with having and possessing.”

“However, love only bears fruit in self-giving: when we are willing to lose a little of ourselves to make room for another; to lose a little time to listen to a friend; to lose a little comfort to share in a time of hardship,” he said.

He added that “according to the Gospel, those who hold on to their lives merely for themselves actually lose them, for they do not open themselves to the joy of love and thus become barren.”

“This is why Jesus invites us to embrace the cross,” the pope said. “He offered himself, lost himself, and in this very way we were enabled to receive his life in abundance. In the same way, if we live by the logic of the gift of self, we too will be capable of bringing forth new life in our relationships.”

Finally, Pope Leo turned to hospitality, saying love must take shape in concrete acts.

“Love is expressed through concrete choices and actions; by a commitment made up of small daily gestures, such as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty,” he said.

Jesus, he said, sent his disciples without provisions “so that, by being dependent on the help of others, they would inspire hospitality in those they met.”

“By welcoming those who come in Jesus’ name, we welcome him and the heavenly Father who sent him,” the pope said. “Indeed, love for the Lord always involves welcoming our brothers and sisters.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

VATICAN CITY—Pope Leo XIV on June 29 will bless and bestow the “pallium” — a white woolen vestment symbolizing pastoral authority and unity with the pope — on 32 new metropolitan archbishops, including four from the United States.

Leo will impose the pallia at a Mass for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The U.S. archbishops who will receive the pallium this year are Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York, Archbishop James Checchio of New Orleans, Archbishop James Golka of Denver, and Archbishop Mark Rivituso of Mobile, Alabama.

New York, NY

Archbishop Ronald Hicks, 58, grew up in South Holland, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago.

Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1994, Hicks later served as dean of formation at St. Joseph College Seminary in Chicago and at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks at his installation Mass on Feb. 6, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno/EWTN News

Hicks is fluent in Spanish with past ministry experience in Mexico and Central America, including five years in El Salvador.

He served as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago from 2018 to 2020, before being named bishop of Joliet, Illinois in 2020 by Pope Francis. He was installed as archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York in February 2026.

At a press conference following the announcement of his appointment to New York in December 2025, Hicks said he was committed to learning about the archdiocese’s efforts to compensate survivors of sexual abuse. The archdiocese has proposed an $800 million settlement for abuse victims as it seeks to resolve a five-year legal battle.

Hicks said in a May 1 statement that “although much work remains to be done before a settlement can be finalized and consummated, I am cautiously optimistic about the path we are on.”

He said both sides have been working to reach an agreement and to “create the framework of a comprehensive arrangement that will deliver compensation to victim-survivors faster and more efficiently than the traditional legal process.”

In a video published June 25 from Assisi, Italy, where Hicks is leading a pilgrimage ahead of receiving the pallium, he invited the Catholics of New York to follow the example of St. Francis, “as together we look for ways in the mission of the Church to continue to rebuild it, to repair it, and to renew it.”

New Orleans, LA

The 60-year-old Archbishop James Checchio was installed in New Orleans on Feb. 18, after nearly five months as a coadjutor archbishop assisting Archbishop Gregory Aymond before his retirement in February.

Archbishop James Checchio of New Orleans, pictured in the courtyard of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, speaks to EWTN News on June 24, 2026, in Rome. | Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/EWTN News

Checchio previously served, from 2016 to 2025, as bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey. He is from Camden, New Jersey. He was rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 2006 to 2016 and has a doctorate in canon law.

In New Orleans — an archdiocese of over half a million Catholics in southeastern Louisiana — Checchio inherited bankruptcy and a $230 million settlement to clergy sexual abuse claimants that took years to reach an outcome.

“Bankruptcy means youʼre broke, right? So weʼre broke,” Checchio told EWTN News in Rome, commenting on the archdiocese’s financial situation.

He added that he’s grateful the archdiocese was able to pull together a good payment for the survivors of abuse and that they continue to reach out to them and pray for them.

“It’s primarily the survivors, but a lot of other people are affected by it, families and the loss of trust,” he added. “The priests are affected… the morale.”

Checchio noted that the people are resilient. “New Orleans is used to rebuilding,” he said. “Thereʼs great hope and joy in the people and the priests.”

After his appointment as coadjutor last September, he remembers reading the bleak news about the archdiocese.

But since arriving, he realized “the Church in New Orleans is vibrant” with a lot of young people and young families.

“There are people that love the faith. They love family life. They love traditions and theyʼre very loyal people,” he said.

Checchio brought a delegation of around 180 people, including family and friends, to Rome on the occasion of receiving the pallium.

Receiving the symbolic vestment himself, he said, is “a bit surreal,” after years as the rector of the Pontifical North American College, when it was his job to organize a reception for the new American metropolitan archbishops.

“But itʼs extra special, I think, with an American pope too.”

Denver, CO

Archbishop James Golka, 59, was born and raised in Grand Island, Nebraska, as the fourth of 10 children. After 27 years in parish ministry and diocesan leadership in the Grand Island diocese, in 2021, he was made bishop of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

He was appointed archbishop of Denver by Pope Leo XIV in February and was installed on March 25, shortly after the death of both of his parents.

In an interview with EWTN News in Denver earlier this month, Golka shared that he has felt his parents’ presence with him several times during his first months as archbishop, and while it was painful to lose them, he trusts they are interceding for him from heaven.

Archbishop James Golka of Denver speaks to EWTN News during a sit-down interview in Denver, Colorado in June 2026. | Credit: EWTN News screenshot / Francesca Fenton

“It’s a great honor” to receive the pallium from Pope Leo, the archbishop said in comments to EWTN News in Rome on June 26.

“I never thought I would be here this day, so I’m just grateful to God for the chance to do it,” he noted, adding that the pallium is less for him than it is for all the people of the archdiocese.

The pallium, he said, “represents Christ, whoʼs the Good Shepherd, who has found a way, by creating the Church the way he did, to continue to be our pastor and shepherd. The main bishop of Denver is not me, itʼs Jesus. … It’s a humbling thing to be able to let Christ work through you that way.”

He added that the pallium “also represents a oneness and a closeness with the Holy Father. So thereʼs something very tender about receiving that from an American pope.”

On the situation in Colorado, the archbishop pointed out that “it’s a very pro-abortion state, so many people who have worked for years in that area just feel kind of beat up.”

Golka said he hopes to help energize those in pro-life ministry so they can keep standing for life: “Weʼre going to keep holding up the great dignity of life. Thatʼs really important to me.”

He added that priests are also very close to his heart as a bishop and he wants them to be “healthy, happy, and holy. Iʼm all in to help them do that because I’m on the same trip. I want to try to do the same thing for me.”

“Archbishop Aquila began many good initiatives [in Denver],” Golka noted. “It’s a group of people ready for mission. And so I just get to come in and kind of activate that and just listen to them… So it makes me want to be on mission even more. It makes me want to be a better priest and a better bishop.”

Mobile, AL Archbishop Mark Rivituso of Mobile, Alabama, while an auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, blesses donations in a van used during the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in July 2024. On July 1, 2025, Pope Leo XIV appointed Rivituso archbishop of Mobile, Alabama. | Credit: Jonah McKeown/EWTN News

Archbishop Mark Rivituso, 64, was installed as the metropolitan archbishop of Mobile, Alabama, in September 2025.

From St. Louis, Missouri, he served as an auxiliary bishop of the St. Louis archdiocese starting in 2017. He is the sixth of eight children and has a licentiate (similar to a master’s degree) in canon and civil law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.

He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Peter Claver, and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

Writing in “The Catholic Week,” the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Mobile, on June 12, Rivituso reflected on the pilgrimage he will make to Rome to receive the pallium.

“All of you will be on pilgrimage with us — for you will be in my heart and prayers with every step and at every holy site,” he wrote to his archdiocese. “When I receive the pallium from Pope Leo XIV, it is a sign of our communion with the Holy Father. Receiving the pallium placed around my neck will be a blessed reminder that I bear and live the yoke of Christ’s shepherding love for each one of you.”

What is a pallium?

The pallium is a narrow, circular band of white wool with pendants hanging down the front and the back. It is adorned with six small black crosses and three pins (called spinulae), which resemble both thorns and the nails used to crucify Jesus.

Pope Leo XIV prepares to bless the pallia before bestowing them on new metropolitan archbishops in a ceremony in St. Peterʼs Basilica on June 29, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media

It is bestowed on the Latin-rite patriarch of Jerusalem and metropolitan archbishops — the diocesan archbishop of the primary city of an ecclesiastical province or region — as a symbol of communion, authority, and unity with the pope and his pastoral mission to be a shepherd for the people of God. The pope also wears the pallium over his chasuble when he is celebrating Mass.

Before the vestments are bestowed on the metropolitan archbishops, they are placed for a time in a spot near the tomb of St. Peter, under the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, to reinforce the bishop’s connection to Peter through apostolic succession.

At Pope Benedict XVI’s inaugural Mass on April 24, 2005, he explained the symbolism of the pallium and the lamb’s wool as “meant to represent the lost, the sick, or weak sheep which the shepherd places on his shoulders to carry to the waters of life.”

Pope Leo XIV on June 27 thanked the College of Cardinals for their work during their two-day extraordinary consistory, highlighting their reflections on war, poverty, and social fragmentation as well as deeper wounds such as loneliness and loss of meaning.

The pope said in his closing address that he was “particularly struck by the way [the cardinals] spoke about young people,” especially in their suffering that can at times lead “to the extreme despair of taking their own lives.”

“You have recognized one of the deepest wounds of our time,” he said, “yet you have also been able to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit [in their] search for authenticity, for genuine relationships, and for meaning.”

Addressing another of the world’s wounds — war — Leo XIV reiterated themes from his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas , warning that war stems from a broader “culture of power” affecting politics, economics, and even religion.

“War is born within us,” he said, but it is “precisely in the heart that peace is also decided.” It is in that same heart, he said, where Christ “continues to meet us, speak to us, and to convert us,” and he called for renewed commitment to dialogue, multilateral cooperation, and nonviolent responses rooted in the Gospel.

Although the cardinals discussed “just war,” the pope did not specifically mention the tradition in his address, noting instead the theme of self-defense in light of “profound transformations” in contemporary conflicts.

Reflection on this topic needs to be “further developed,” he said, “with necessary theological and pastoral rigor.”

Issuing a global appeal, Leo XIV declared: “God desires peace for every nation and every people,” urging the Church to help the world reject violence and rediscover the Lord’s paths of reconciliation.

Pope Leo also underscored the importance of the family, the Church’s social doctrine, and the formation of consciences, while reaffirming the role of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue in promoting peace.

He urged the cardinals to deepen the Church’s synodal path as a “spiritual style” rooted in listening, discernment, and fidelity to the Gospel. Synodality, he said, is not primarily about structures or decision-making, but about safeguarding the Church’s mission through shared discernment.

“The question is not ‘who decides,’” he said, “but how we together safeguard the gift entrusted to the Church.”

Leo XIV encouraged the cardinals to promote active participation across local Churches, saying that authentic synodality arises from encounter and openness to the Holy Spirit.

He likened this two-day gathering — which had a distinctly synodal format of working group discussions — to the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in which Christ renews hope and clarifies mission.

Referring to a meeting of bishops in October to mark the 10th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, the pope said the gathering will be part of the implementation of the Synod on Synodality — a chance to “foster spaces where the People of God can listen to one another, pray, discern and walk together.”

The pope closed by entrusting the fruits of the consistory to the intercession of Our Lady. “May she teach us to preserve unity in diversity and to serve the Gospel of peace with humility, courage, and hope,” he said.

He reiterated that these extraordinary consistories will take place annually, and said he will be announcing next year’s meeting at the end of the year.

Vatican synthesis

As the consistory took place behind closed doors, it was not possible to know exactly what the cardinals discussed during the two-day meeting.

Instead, media had to rely on syntheses provided by the Holy See Press Office which omitted some key interventions such as Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s call on the Vatican to issue a formal response to the Society of St. Pius X’s latest challenge to Rome, as reported on Saturday by Il Giornale’s Nico Spuntoni.

The syntheses also did not cover any topics raised in the free discussion at the end of the consistory. The Vatican did, however, provide full texts of four cardinals’ reflections.

Opening Friday afternoon’s session on “The Culture of Power and the Civilization of Love” was Cardinal Victor Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, who reflected on the theme and Chapter V of Magnifica Humanitas.

Drawing on the social encyclical, he argued that a deep cultural shift had been enabling the outbreak and normalization of new wars, often sustained by AI-driven media and political manipulation.

Magnifica Humanitas, he said, marked a significant development by declaring “just war” theory outdated in practice. It insisted instead on a far stricter understanding of legitimate defense and condemning pre-emptive and disproportionate warfare as incompatible with Catholic teaching and the Second Vatican Council’s Gaudium et Spes and its rejection of indiscriminate destruction.

As examples, he highlighted military interventions in Gaza and southern Lebanon.

Relativism, cynicism, “spiteful verbal attacks by political leaders,” and geopolitical inconsistency favored violent powers, the cardinal said, adding that the Church’s social doctrine was the answer.

Alluding to a consistent life ethic, he said the teaching is coherent in its defense of life, migrants, peace, and the vulnerable, and that it is capable of resisting the culture of power and fostering a culture of fraternity and the common good.

The Vatican reported that in their working groups during the session, presided over by Filipino Cardinal Siongco David, the cardinals similarly voiced concern about a pervasive “culture of power” marked by polarization, normalization of war, and diminished sensitivity to violence.

In response, they stressed the Church’s urgent duty to witness credibly to peace through a transformed language of encounter, rooted in listening, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and through visible Christian unity.

They also urged dialogue with other religions, especially Islam, and engagement with international institutions. The Vatican said “numerous groups” called for moving beyond classical “just war” frameworks toward proportionate self-defense, while reaffirming the Gospel as the true source of peace.

The Vatican said strong support was expressed for Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical and his moral leadership, alongside renewed reflection on the Petrine ministry as a safeguard of the Church’s independence and a sign of unity.

Building the common good

Saturday morning’s session shifted focus to “Building for the Common Good,” examining the deep fractures affecting societies, families, and individuals.

Cardinal Stephen Brislin of Johannesburg presented Magnifica Humanitas as a theologically coherent vision of human “building” in an age of technological power, reading the whole encyclical through the opening contrast between Babel’s self-enclosed self-sufficiency and Jerusalem’s God-oriented rebuilding.

He noted that the introduction offered a “grammar of building” structured around desire, limitation, shared responsibility, and discernment, asking whether technological expansion, including AI, actually produced more just relationships and institutions attentive to the person.

In his reading, the conclusion showed how this grammar found its fulfilment in the theological virtues: faith reading history in the light of God’s merciful plan, charity rooted in the Eucharist grounding synodal communion, and hope directing concrete responsibility toward a “civilization of love,” all sustained by prayer exemplified in Mary’s contemplative gaze.

In the Vatican-summarized discussions that followed, presided by Tanzanian Cardinal Protase Rugambwa, the cardinals highlighted the anthropological crisis underlying these divisions, including loss of meaning, identity, and relationships, exacerbated by extreme individualism and emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence.

AI was discussed not only technologically but as a force reshaping human self-understanding, raising concerns about dignity, limitation, and the reduction of persons to data. The common good was presented as both elusive and essential, requiring a rediscovery of solidarity grounded in faith and expressed through concrete care for the poor.

The Vatican said the Church’s social doctrine and the formation of responsible political leaders were seen as vital responses to systemic inequality and fragmentation. Across interventions, the Gospel emerged as the antidote to division, calling the Church to embody a “Samaritan” presence, foster belonging, and promote synodality as a lived practice of listening and shared responsibility.

Final session

The final session of the consistory turned to the practical implementation of synodality, emphasizing spiritual elements and institutional challenges.

In his reflection, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod Secretariat, described the Synod on Synodality as a profound experience “in the Spirit” and declared that it had already awakened in the Church a broad desire for participation, mutual listening, and shared discernment among bishops, clergy, religious, and laity.

He asserted that the current implementation phase was not a matter of mechanically applying decisions but of receiving, testing, and integrating synodal insights into the ordinary life of local Churches, culminating in the 2028 ecclesial assembly.

That phase, he said, depended on bishops as primary stewards of the synodal journey, adding that they needed to hold together synodality and collegiality as complementary expressions of one communion ordered to mission in a world marked by war, inequality, migration, and technological upheaval.

In their discussions that followed, presided by Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, the Vatican said the cardinals agreed on the need to integrate the “ascetical and historical” dimensions of synodality while ensuring that its processes do not become overly burdensome or distract from the Church’s evangelical mission.

Particular attention was given to priestly formation, with calls for a vision of the priesthood that is dynamic, attractive, and authentically evangelical without reinforcing clericalism.

Discussion also clarified the complementary roles of hierarchy and laity in discerning the voice of “the Spirit,” highlighting synodality as a shared but differentiated responsibility within the People of God. The contribution of Eastern Catholic Churches, with their longstanding synodal traditions, was said to be especially valuable.

The Vatican synthesis noted that cardinals discussed “the risk that the complexity of the consultation process might weigh down the Church at a time when she is called to bear witness.”

Cardinal Gerhard Müller has called the Society of St. Pius X’s planned consecration of four bishops without papal mandate a schismatic act, while stressing that the dispute turns on authority, not the Traditional Latin Mass, which he affirmed remains valid.

In an interview with EWTN News In Depth, the former prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said episcopal ordinations carried out “without the pope are absolutely impossible, against the will of God,” marking those who carry them out as “not Catholic or anti-Catholic.” That judgment, he stressed, rests on “objective criteria,” not “subjective judgments.”

The Society plans to consecrate four priests, including American Father Michael Goldade, on July 1 at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland, echoing Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s 1988 consecrations.

Without a papal mandate the consecrations would be valid but illicit, carrying an automatic “latae sententiae” excommunication.

Müller likened the society to the Donatists, the schism St. Augustine fought in North Africa.

“They should learn from the way of the Donatists,” he said, adding that St. Pius X, the society’s patron, “will pray against these people who abuse his name.” Pope Leo XIV, he noted, is himself an Augustinian.

The German prelate, a longtime professor of dogmatic theology, called devotion to traditional liturgy and the rejection of papal authority “two absolutely different questions,” and faulted bishops who forbid the TLM as “authoritarian.”

Asked what faithful drawn to SSPX Masses should do if a schism follows, Müller said they “shouldn’t go, and cannot participate in the Masses of schismatic priests and bishops.”

The Vatican’s current doctrine chief, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, warned on May 13 that the consecrations would be “a schismatic act.”

The SSPX rejects the charge, holding that such consecrations do not by themselves break communion; on June 24 it sent Pope Leo and the College of Cardinals a “Declaration of Catholic Faith.” 

Superior General Father Davide Pagliarani has cited a “state of necessity,” noting only two aging SSPX bishops remain to ordain its priests.

Müller also discussed the June 26–27 consistory, which he said he expected to take up atheism and artificial intelligence, and renewed his criticism of “synodality,” which he said had been “abused” to push ideas against Church teaching on the priesthood and marriage.

In an audience with representatives of Jesuit colleges and universities in North America, Pope Leo XIV proposed four ways to address current challenges.

In his address on June 25, the Holy Father referenced several of the major challenges facing humanity, which he said is undergoing an “epochal change.” Specifically, he pointed to the secularization of societies, where many people are “seeking to push any mention of God out of the public sphere and beyond popular culture.”

In addition, he pointed to the failure of political systems to address the needs of migrants and the marginalized, as well as the lack of hope among young people, the degradation of the planetʼs resources, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

The pope encouraged representatives of Jesuit colleges and universities to confront these challenges by looking to the Society of Jesus’ four Universal Apostolic Preferences, which are four focus areas that are to guide the Jesuits’ mission worldwide from 2019 to 2029. They were developed through a two-year global discernment process involving Jesuits and their lay partners, then confirmed by Pope Francis in 2019.

The four Universal Apostolic Preferences are to show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; to walk with the poor, the outcasts, and those whose dignity has been violated in a mission of reconciliation and justice; to accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future, and to collaborate in the care of our common home.

First, the pontiff reflected on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and the importance of discernment, encouraging members of academic communities to have the opportunity to participate in them and thus come to know “the One who is Truth.”

“Those who conduct research, those who pursue studies and those who seek the truth are ultimately seeking God, whether they realize it or not,” he emphasized.

He also referred to the “thirst for God” that is increasingly palpable among young people, something he noted he had witnessed firsthand during his recent visit to Spain. Consequently, he encouraged them to offer the Spiritual Exercises to young people on university campuses.

The pope also pointed out that it is essential to “walk with the poor and the outcasts of the world.” For this reason, he urged them to “offer opportunities for immigrants, refugees and those of a lower socioeconomic status to have the benefit of an advanced education.”

“The resurrection of Christ is the ultimate source of hope.”

Pope Leo XIV

He emphasized that Jesuit schools and universities must be places where young people find “a hope-filled future,” and thus must foster opportunities for dialogue, service, and prayer, “remembering always that the resurrection of Christ is the ultimate source of hope.”

As another urgent duty, the pontiff underscored the need to educate about the care of creation, primarily due to the effects of climate change as well as “the exploitation of resources by a few at the expense of the common good.”

Finally, in citing the advances in artificial intelligence, he appealed to the essential role of colleges and universities and noted that it is “important to begin now to address the consequences, both positive and negative, that come from these advances.”

“With the help of the prayers of St. Ignatius of Loyola, may you continue the Jesuit tradition of forming those entrusted to your care to be ‘men and women for others,’” the Holy Father encouraged.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Confronting a world marked by deepening division, widespread suffering and a crisis of meaning were the main topics for discussion during the opening session of the extraordinary consistory of cardinals on June 26 in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.

The 178 cardinals attending the two-day consistory, run in a synodal format, spoke of growing polarization within societies, with some saying it is often fueled by misinformation and exacerbated by digital communication that hinders rather than fosters genuine dialogue.

The theme of the first session was: “In what kind of world are we called to proclaim the Gospel?” As the proceedings were closed to the public, the Holy See Press Office supplied the media with a synthesis of the discussions.

The Vatican said the cardinals spoke of political tensions, social fragmentation and an increase in violence, both at the interpersonal level and in international conflicts.

Many cardinals also pointed to a lack of respect for religious and ethnic minorities, with particular concern expressed about rising antisemitism and hostility toward Christians in various parts of the world.

Cardinals gather at St. Peterʼs Basilica for the second extraordinary consistory on June 26, 2026. Working groups for the consistory were held in the Vaticanʼs Paul VI Hall. | Credit: Vatican Media

The cardinal participants also spoke of extreme individualism, the crisis in the family, and loneliness that affects both the elderly and the young, which they see as a cause of even greater evils, such as the rise in suicide and drug use.

“In this context, there was much discussion about young people, including in the context of economic, financial and labor market crises,” the Vatican synthesis said.

“At the heart of many of the contributions was an awareness of a general sense of mistrust, fatalism and powerlessness towards institutions, democracy and the future, linked also to the falling birth rate, the rise of criminal groups, youth crime and drug trafficking,” it continued.

“In this regard, several groups emphasized the role of secularism, the loss of transcendent and spiritual values, and the loss of a sense of purpose in life; they noted that the spread of a sense of weariness and the absence of a perspective on truth signify an inability to recognize otherness and to build relationships.”

Several groups noted a pervasive sense of mistrust toward institutions, including democratic systems, coupled with a growing fatalism about the possibility of meaningful change.

Migration highlighted

The phenomenon of migration received significant attention. While acknowledging the challenges it poses, the cardinals emphasized the need for humane and Christian responses, including effective integration policies and a rejection of exclusionary attitudes.

Pope Leo XIV addresses 178 cardinals on the first of two days of discussions for the second extraordinary consistory of cardinals, held in the Vaticanʼs Paul VI Hall on June 26, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Migrants, several groups observed, can be a source of renewal and blessing for host communities when welcomed appropriately.

Environmental degradation, corruption, and the difficulties of life in large urban centers were also cited as contributing to the hardships faced by many people today.

Across all groups, the Vatican reported that there was a shared conviction that the Church has a vital role to play in responding to these challenges.

The cardinals stressed the need for the Church to present itself as a “mother” — a welcoming and compassionate presence capable of acknowledging its own failings while offering healing and reconciliation. This includes renewed attention to parish life, seen as a key locus for fostering community and encounter.

At a time when many institutions are experiencing a crisis of credibility, the cardinals affirmed that the Church is called to speak with moral authority on issues of human dignity, peace and the common good. They suggested that such credibility is most effectively established through proximity to those who suffer.

Young people were described as having a growing thirst for the Gospel. The Church, the cardinals said, must accompany them closely, offering both guidance and hope.

The Vatican synthesis said that the Church “sees how synodality is a providential path for the Church and humanity to find the answers the world seeks.” It also said the witness of charity, especially by lay faithful, was highlighted as a powerful means of evangelization.

The cardinals pointed to signs of hope in popular piety, education and the life of faith among ordinary believers. Even in contexts where Christians are a minority, the Church’s witness was described as particularly meaningful, they said.

Efforts to promote dialogue and peace, including ecumenical and interreligious initiatives, were identified as essential in countering violence and division, according to the Vatican synthesis. Prayer was also emphasized as a fundamental source of strength in these endeavors.

Although such a consistory of cardinals has traditionally been an opportunity for the pope to listen to all the cardinals’ concerns, he was absent during the working group session, returning later to address the assembly following the group reports.

Thanking the cardinals for their contributions, he reiterated the importance of dialogue and participation, the Vatican said.

The pope observed that the widespread loneliness and suffering of today’s world constitute a direct challenge to the Church. Its response, he said, must be to invite all people into communion — not only by opening churches and celebrating the sacraments, but also by creating opportunities and experiences of encounter.

“If we are not blind,” the pope said, “it is true that there is so much suffering.”

The June 26 session concluded with the recitation of the Angelus, with further discussions scheduled to continue in the afternoon and the following day.

As the consistory proceeds, the Vatican said it is expected to further refine these reflections, offering clearer indications of how the Church under Pope Leo XIV intends to navigate what it says many participants described as one of the most challenging periods in recent history.

The first session brought together cardinal electors and non-electors — 178 out of a total of 241 cardinals.

The Vatican said that, as planned, the cardinals were divided into two sets of groups. The first contained eight groups — rather than a planned nine — of ordinary cardinal electors, including nuncios and cardinal electors (under the age of 80) who have completed their service as ordinaries. A second set consisted of ten groups — rather than a planned eleven — comprising cardinal electors of the Roman Curia and non-elector cardinals.

The Vatican said that at the end of the first session, all eight from the first set shared their reflections at the end of the session, though only four out of ten from the second set reported on theirs.

Opening proceedings

The proceedings opened with the chanting of the Veni Creator Spiritus, followed by remarks from Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Rueda Aparicio of Bogota, Colombia, who presided over the session, and Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.

Pope Leo XIV then delivered an introductory address, calling on the assembled prelates to assist him in discerning the Church’s mission amid today’s complex realities.

Cardinal Re, speaking on behalf of the College, underscored the gravity of the present historical moment, describing a world shaped simultaneously by rapid technological advances, including artificial intelligence, and a troubling erosion of moral and ethical foundations.

He praised Pope Leo’s recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, as a “beacon of light” addressing contemporary challenges while remaining rooted in the Church’s social doctrine.

The cardinals then turned to a biblical meditation offered by Polish Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, the Archbishop of Krakow, who proposed the parable of the Good Samaritan as a key to understanding the modern world.

Rather than treating the world as an abstract concept, Cardinal Ryś urged reflection on concrete human experience, symbolized by the wounded man in the Gospel narrative.

He identified several defining features of contemporary humanity: exposure to violence, loss of dignity, deep personal and societal wounds, and, above all, a pervasive loneliness. “People today are suffering a tsunami of loneliness,” he noted, echoing reflections heard during the Synod on Synodality.

Cardinal Ryś also pointed to what he described as a spiritual “descent” in secularized societies increasingly detached from transcendence.

Yet alongside this wounded figure, he highlighted the example of the Samaritan — an outsider who demonstrates compassion, closeness and self-sacrificial love — as a model for the Church’s engagement with the world.

The Vatican said his reflection was followed by a prolonged period of silent prayer, after which the cardinals began discussions in their respective working groups.

Pope Leo XIV opened his second extraordinary consistory of cardinals on June 26 by defending his decision to conduct the gathering in a synodal format, acknowledging that the approach is unusual, but insisting that the Lord is leading the Church along this path so that she can “grow in communion.”

Addressing 178 cardinals in the Paul VI Hall on the first of two days of discussions, Leo encouraged them to “engage wholeheartedly” in a synodal, working group structure, adding that he was “well aware that, for many of us, this is not the usual way of conducting a consistory.”

Yet, he said this form is now part of “the journey along which the Lord is leading us,” encouraging the cardinals to participate actively while assuring them that they can still make “personal contributions” and send him “any confidential observations or reflections.”

“Enter into this ecclesial exercise with confidence,” he said, adding that synodality is learned “by practising it” and that “we learn together to grow in communion.”

The pope’s comments came after some cardinals had expressed apprehensions about the consistory using a “synodal” round-table format for a second time — a structure they felt was “very controlled” when used at the first consistory last January, and left them with a sense that key decisions and framing had been set in advance.

Efforts made to address those concerns at this meeting include the introduction of a “free dialogue” session at the end of the meeting and a dedicated email address where cardinals can write directly to the pope to share their advice and concerns.

In his opening address, Pope Leo summarized the four themes the cardinals are to discuss. First, they were invited to contemplate the world “through the eyes of faith,” listening and walking with others amid contemporary challenges. Secondly, they were asked to reflect on a “civilization of love” in a time of conflict, oppression and division, drawing on his social encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which explores human dignity and the common good. Thirdly, they are to explore that encyclical in greater depth by examining how the Church can build the common good through shared responsibility and adopting a “synodal style.” Finally, they are to consider how to implement the Synod on Synodality “in the face of the world’s wounds.”

Synodality, a recurring theme in both his opening address and homily at the opening Mass, “points to a way forward: listening, discerning and jointly assuming responsibility,” Leo said. It is not simply a set of procedures, he insisted, but “an attitude, an openness, a willingness to understand.” Nor does it entail a “diminishment of authority;” rather it serves to “safeguard communion” while fostering the participation of all and helping pastors exercise authority more evangelically.

The pope underlined that the consistory is not meant merely to address the internal life of the Church but to shape “our view of the world, peace, the common good, synodality,” so that the Gospel may be proclaimed with greater fidelity and credibility. The goal, he said, is to improve the Church’s witness and to become better heralds of the Gospel, which requires listening and the sharing of responsibilities.

“For this reason I wish to ask for your help,” he continued. “I need your support: strong, explicit and public. I need to feel supported by you as by brothers.” He urged the cardinals to accompany him in his service, to listen to what is emerging in local churches, to recognize signs of hope, but not ignore “struggles, misunderstandings and resistance.”

Leo said he was convinced the Lord is “teaching us a more evangelical way of living out together the responsibility he has entrusted to us,” and that the credibility of their witness and fruitfulness in mission depend on this.

The pope decided to reinstate extraordinary consistories after Pope Francis had suspended them in 2014, a generally unpopular move with many cardinals who, ahead of the conclave last year, voiced a need for the Holy Father to consult them more frequently.

In contrast to the approach of Francis, who rarely consulted his porporati except for a select few and his council of nine cardinals who advised him on Church governance, Pope Leo was emphatic on Friday about how much he valued their input, saying “sincere advice is always an act of communion” and that he needed their freedom, frankness and loyalty.

He thanked them for attending, saying their presence showed their “concern for the whole Church,” and stressing that their dialogue with him, to assist him in the service and mission of the Church, is one of the cardinals’ “most important responsibilities.”

Leo underlined that they are to be builders of “Christ’s communion” which, he said, “takes shape in a synodal Church in which everyone cooperates in the same mission, each according to their own charism and ministry.”

“We are not guardians of particular interests,” he reminded them, “but disciples and witnesses of the Kingdom of God, called to be, in Christ, the leaven of universal brotherhood,” echoing remarks he had made to the Roman Curia last December.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates the opening Mass of an extraordinary consistory of cardinals, the second of his pontificate, in St. Peterʼs Basilica on June 26, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Opening homily

In his homily at the opening Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday morning, Pope Leo said synodality and collegiality are “forms of Christian fraternity,” which enables all the baptized to participate in the unity of the People of God.

Noting that the meeting is taking place just ahead of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, he urged the cardinals to follow the apostles’ example of sharing the faith in freedom, to ask for the gift of peace and unity, and to “savor harmony through obedience.”

The implementation of the synod, “to which we are committed, invites everyone to move forward in unity of faith, promoting peace, and in obedience to Jesus, the living Word,” he said. As ideologies fade away, the Holy Spirit makes fraternal harmony, charity, and missionary zeal “flourish in the Church.”

“Our working together in a collegial way embodies the synodality in which all the baptized participate in the unity of the People of God,” he continued. “Synodality and collegiality are, in fact, forms of Christian fraternity, which binds us together as the baptized and as bishops.”

Appearing to recast the way in which Petrine ministry is exercised, he closed by saying that in helping him in that task, “you will find in me one who asks, not commands.”

“Moreover, the authority of primacy belongs to the one who listens and only then leads, to the one who learns and only then teaches, always following the one and only Teacher,” he said. “May the intercession of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul accompany us on this enthralling journey.”

Pope Leo XIV met privately with members of the Synod on Synodality’s continental bodies at the Vatican on June 25, as they concluded a recent conference to reflect on the synod’s implementation ahead of the ecclesial assembly in October 2028.

Held on the eve of the two-day extraordinary consistory of cardinals, which began at the Vatican on June 26, the pontiff’s meeting with the synod members concluded a three-day gathering to discuss the document “Towards the Assemblies 2027-2028: Stages, Criteria and Tools for Preparation,” published by the synod in May.

The final session of the extraordinary consistory of cardinals will feature a discussion on the document and implementing the synod before 2028.

The synod meeting included discussions regarding synod teams at the diocesan and national levels, current progress and challenges in implementing synodality, and the synod’s final document, published in 2025 under Pope Francis.

Synod Secretary General Cardinal Mario Grech said in a press release that, “The meeting with the Holy Father was for all the participants a powerful sign of support and encouragement as they continue their work for the Churchʼs synodal conversion.”

The synod’s implementation path before the ecclesial assembly in 2028 will proceed through four stages: “Recollecting” in the first half of 2027; “Interpreting” in the second half of 2027; “Orienting” in the first four months of 2028; and “Celebrating” in October 2028.

In May, the synod featured the testimonies of two men in civil marriages with other men. It formed part of the synod’s Executive Summary of the Final Report of Study Group 9, which analyzed the experience and pastoral care of LGBTQ+ Catholics.

Pope Leo XIV has sent 100,000 euros (about $114,000) in humanitarian aid to Venezuela following two devastating earthquakes that hit the country on June 24.

The Holy Father sent the funds in order to express his closeness to the Venezuelan people through a donation made via the papal almoner, the pope’s charitable office, according to Vatican News.

The financial aid has been sent to Church leaders in the country, and the amount was agreed upon after consultations with the apostolic nuncio to Venezuela, Archbishop Alberto Ortega Martín, and the archbishop of Caracas, Archbishop Raúl Biord Castillo.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck Venezuela after 6:00 p.m. local time, with particular intensity in La Guaira and Caracas, where, according to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, “there are several complicated areas,” in which a number of buildings have collapsed.

Although it is still too early to determine the full extent of the tragedy, the provisional toll stands at at least 164 dead and nearly 1,000 injured. Rescue teams continue working around the clock to locate and save people trapped under the rubble.

The Catholic Church mobilized from the very first moments after the devastating quakes. The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need has launched initiatives to support those affected.

For its part, Caritas Internationalis has allocated 100,000 euros for emergency relief, in coordination with Caritas Venezuela, which has a network of nearly 30,000 volunteers deployed throughout the country.

Archbishop Biord of Caracas lamented the “serious structural damage” suffered by numerous parishes, as well as damage recorded in the cathedral and in 12 other churches.

He noted, however, that the number of victims could have been significantly higher had it not been a holiday. “Thank God it was a holiday. If it had been a working day, with schools, offices, and businesses open, the number of victims would have been much higher,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language sister service. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.