Pope at Consistory: It Is Christ, Not the Church, Who Attracts

Vatican, Jan 8, 2026: Emphasising that it is Christ who draws people to faith, Pope Leo XIV opened the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals at the Vatican on January 7–8, warning that divisions within the Church only scatter the faithful.

“I am here to listen,” the Pope said in his opening address at the start of the Consistory. Welcoming the Cardinals to Rome on the day following the Solemnity of the Epiphany, he expressed joy at their gathering and prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide them through what he described as two demanding yet significant days of reflection and dialogue.

He noted that their day-and-a-half together “will point the way for our path ahead,” clarifying that the aim was not to produce a final document. “We must not arrive at a text,” he said, “but continue a conversation that will help me in serving the mission of the entire Church.”

A Call to Listening, Communion, and Collegiality

Acknowledging the breadth of the College of Cardinals, the Holy Father highlighted its diversity, describing it as “enriched by a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ecclesial and social traditions, formative and academic paths, pastoral experiences, not to mention personal characteristics and traits.” He stressed the importance of mutual understanding and dialogue, saying, “We are called to get to know one another and to dialogue, so that we may work together in serving the Church.” He added, “I hope that we can grow in communion and thus offer a model of collegiality.”

Christ at the Center: Unity That Attracts, Division That Scatters

In his address, the Pope also recalled the enduring importance of the Second Vatican Council and reflected on his predecessor Popes. Referring to Pope Benedict XVI, he invited the Cardinals to reflect on what he described as the “power” behind the Church’s ability to draw people. “I invite us to pay close attention to what Pope Benedict signaled as the ‘power’ that drives this movement of attraction,” he said. He explained that this power “is Charis, it is Agape, it is the love of God that became incarnate in Jesus Christ and that, in the Holy Spirit, is given to the Church, sanctifying all her actions.”

The Pope underscored that the Church’s appeal comes not from itself but from Christ. “Furthermore,” he said, “it is not the Church that attracts, but Christ; and if a Christian or an ecclesial community attracts, it is because through that ‘channel’ flows the lifeblood of Charity that cascades from the Heart of the Savior.” He warned of the opposite effect of disunity, stating plainly, “While unity attracts, division scatters.”

The Holy Father noted that the Cardinals would reflect on two selected themes chosen from several possibilities: *Evangelii Gaudium*, concerning the mission of the Church in today’s world; *Praedicate Evangelium*, focused on the service of the Holy See, particularly to the particular Churches; the Synod and synodality as both an instrument and a style of cooperation; and the liturgy, described as the source and summit of Christian life. Because of limited time, he explained, only two themes would be addressed in depth, guided by the question: “Looking at the path of the next one or two years, what considerations and priorities could guide the action of the Holy Father and of the Curia regarding each theme?”

He outlined the method for their discussions, saying the Cardinals would proceed by being “attentive to the heart, mind and spirit of each, listening to one another and expressing only the main point and in a succinct manner, so that all can speak.”

Looking ahead, the Pope said, “In the future, this way of listening to each other, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and walking together will continue to be a great help for the Petrine ministry entrusted to me.” He added that working together in a spirit of fraternity and sincere friendship “can give rise to something new, something that brings both the present and the future into focus.”

The address concluded with the Pope entrusting the work of the Consistory to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and placing it under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

Courtesy: Vatican News