Although it was not a specific topic of the Extraordinary Consistory held on January 7–8, Pope Leo XIV took the opportunity to speak to the roughly 170 cardinals—both electors and non-electors—about a problem that “remains a real wound in the life of the Church in many places”: the sexual abuse crisis. This is a topic Pope Leo, like his predecessors, has repeatedly highlighted in recent months. Even in the Consistory—focused on the themes of synodality and mission, chosen by majority vote of the cardinals—he did not fail to mention this issue. He addressed it in his concluding speech after the two day meeting, the full text of which was published on January 10.
In his address, the Pope stressed that “abuse itself causes a deep wound, which may last a lifetime; but often the scandal in the Church is that the door was closed and victims were not welcomed or accompanied with the closeness of authentic pastors.”
The Holy Father shared the testimony of a victim he had spoken with recently: “She told me that the most painful part for her was that no bishop wanted to listen”. There, Pope Leo said, “listening is profoundly important.”
Listening is also a necessary practice between the Pope and the College of Cardinals. For this reason, the Holy Father asked the cardinals to continue the work begun at the Consistory, to deepen mutual understanding, strengthen dialogue, and implement synodality. Pope Leo announced plans to “continue the meetings” in the future, possibly extending them to three or four days once a year. As some groups suggested, the meetings could consist of a day of reflection, prayer, and encounter, followed by two or three days of work. For this year, he scheduled a second Consistory at the end of June, near the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.
