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The SSPX has reacted to Pope Leo XIV’s final plea not to proceed with tomorrow’s episcopal consecrations at Écône, with priests and faithful telling AdVaticanum the appeal will not change the Society’s plans. Read the full story Pope Leo XIV has made a final appeal, a day before the consecrations, to the Society of Saint Pius X not to proceed with its planned episcopal consecrations. The Pope’s letter, dated 29 June, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, was published by the Vatican on 30 June, the eve of the consecrations due to take place at Écône, Switzerland. It was addressed to Fr Davide Pagliarani, the Superior General of the SSPX, and, through him, to the society’s bishops, priests, seminarians and faithful. It warned that the ceremony would constitute a “schismatic act” and urged the SSPX to “please turn back”. Writing “with a paternal heart”, Leo acknowledged the qualities he said had characterised many within the society, praising their “devotion to liturgical life, commitment to priestly formation, apostolic zeal and desire for fidelity to Tradition”. He added that these qualities had motivated the “attentive and generous attitude” consistently shown to the fraternity by his predecessors. The Pope nevertheless made a direct plea for the society to abandon its plans. “In this spirit, and filled with Christian affection, I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!” His Holiness wrote. “I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, 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,” His Holiness continued. Leo also stressed that the Holy See remained willing to continue discussions with the fraternity. “The Church is open to a path of dialogue and understanding that the Holy Spirit can make possible and fruitful,” the Pope wrote. Concluding the letter, the Pope warned of the seriousness of the proposed consecrations, writing: “I pray for you, because to tear the seamless garment of Christ is a sin of extreme gravity. May the Lord enlighten your consciences and awaken your hearts.” He concluded: “With a sorrowful yet hopeful heart, I feel it is my duty, through the authority received from Christ, to ask you to desist from your intended act.” The letter is the latest intervention by the Holy See as it attempts to prevent the society from proceeding with the consecrations without a pontifical mandate. On 13 May, the Vatican warned that the planned consecrations would constitute a schismatic act and said that the bishops carrying out the ceremony, together with those receiving episcopal ordination, would incur automatic excommunication. Pope Leo subsequently confirmed on 16 June, outside Castel Gandolfo, that the Holy See was preparing a final appeal to the SSPX, warning that the proposed consecrations risked creating a new schism within the Church. The situation recalls 30 June 1988, when Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops at Écône without the approval of Pope St John Paul II. The Vatican declared the act schismatic, and Lefebvre, Bishop Antônio de Castro Mayer and the four newly consecrated bishops incurred automatic excommunication. Although Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of the surviving bishops in 2009 as part of efforts to encourage reconciliation, the SSPX has remained without canonical status in the Church. The society had not publicly responded to the Pope’s letter at the time of publication. However, reporting from Écône suggests that many priests and lay faithful have reacted strongly to the letter. Sources within the SSPX, speaking both on and off the record, have highlighted what they perceive as a lack of genuine doctrinal resolution and a continuation of past perceived betrayals. Brother Gabriel of the SSPX in the United States told AdVaticanum that the letter would not change anything, stating: “I don’t agree with that [letter from Leo].” A priest of the Society stationed in Asia, speaking to AdVaticanum strictly off the record, dismissed the papal letter in blunt terms. “This was complete nonsense,” he said. He added that the letter failed to address the core theological and liturgical concerns that have defined the SSPX for decades. Another Society priest said: “Far from offering any meaningful path forward, this letter sidesteps the real issues.” A French priest of the Society offered an even sharper critique, framing the letter as a belated and inadequate gesture. “It is a little too late for reconciliation after the betrayal of the Holy Father,” he remarked. He continued: “After years of ambiguities and a steady erosion of doctrine under the guise of ‘dialogue’, this won’t change anything.” An American priest of the Society described the letter as largely ineffective and expressed a measured note of spiritual concern for the Pope. “It was useless,” he said plainly, “and I pray for the Holy Father.” Jim Piante, a longtime lay supporter of the Society of Saint Pius X from the Charlotte area of North Carolina, offered a direct and unapologetic assessment of Pope Leo’s recent letter urging the Society not to proceed with the 1 July episcopal consecrations. Speaking personally and not on behalf of the Society or his parish of Saint Anthony in Mount Holly, Piante noted that the letter itself acknowledges the Society’s fidelity to Tradition, devotion to the Faith and robust liturgical life. “What is it that makes this a quote-unquote schismatic act?” he asked. “Only that Pope Leo does not grant authorisation.” In his view, the entire controversy would evaporate if the Holy Father simply recognised the worthiness of the men chosen for consecration, who have “proven themselves as genuinely Catholic in every way”. Piante argued that authorisation would resolve the matter instantly, highlighting what he sees as the letter’s failure to address the real pastoral needs of the Church. Regarding the possibility of excommunication extending beyond the bishops and priests to the lay faithful who attend SSPX chapels, Piante remained resolute and unmoved. “I would do the same thing tomorrow that I did today. Nothing different,” he stated firmly. He emphasised that his primary duty as a Catholic layman is not to resolve the institutional problems of the Church but “to save my soul and the souls of my wife and my children, and all those whom I can potentially influence.” Marie Flick, a parishioner at a Society of Saint Pius X church in Kansas City, Missouri, described the atmosphere ahead of the 1 July episcopal consecrations as vibrant and full of hope. When asked about the prolonged negotiations with Rome and Pope Leo’s recent letter urging the Society to reconsider the consecrations, Flick expressed disappointment. She pointed out that talks had dragged on since February with little progress and questioned why the Holy Father had not met personally with the Society’s Superior General. She said: “The Pope could have met with the SSPX, just like he met with the head of the Anglican bishops, the Archbishop of Canterbury. He’s been very open about meeting with other figures as well. Why not be open to meeting with the head of the SSPX? That’s just my opinion.” Despite being released at around 11 a.m. on 30 June, the letter was intentionally dated the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, 29 June. This is understood to signal the authority with which the Pontiff issued his appeal, noting in the text that he has a “paternal” “duty”, as “the Successor of the Apostle Peter”, and possesses “authority received from Christ”. It is understood that this was intended as a signal to the SSPX of the Pope’s willingness to exercise his pontifical authority if the Society proceeds with the consecrations, while also implicitly calling for its obedience to him as Supreme Pontiff. The letter’s opening praise for the Society’s fidelity and apostolic work also appears to express a willingness to pursue reconciliation. It is notable that the text implies that, at present, the Society possesses licit and valid sacraments, which would be jeopardised if the consecrations were to proceed. Despite stating that there remains within the Church a “path of dialogue and understanding”, the letter offers no further indication of how the two parties might be reconciled beyond cancelling the consecrations, which Leo describes as a “sin of extreme gravity”.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli as Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, making her the second woman to lead a Roman Curia dicastery. We examine her background, her rise through the Curia, and the wider development of women’s leadership in the Vatican over the past two decades Pope Leo has appointed Sister Smerilli as Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The appointment will take effect on 1 September 2026. Born in Vasto, Italy, she entered the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco in 1997, where she continued her studies in economics. In June 2006, she obtained a doctorate in political economy from the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. She joined the Roman Curia during the pontificate of Pope Francis when, in 2021, she was appointed Under-Secretary for the Faith and Development Sector of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. She was then named interim Secretary on 26 August 2021, which made her the first woman to hold the second-ranking position in a dicastery of the Roman Curia, and the highest-ranking woman in the Curia at the time. In April 2022, her role as Secretary was made permanent. In 2021, she received the Order of the Star of Italy, one of Italy’s national honours, in recognition of her academic work and contribution to ethical business and finance. Women have been appointed to positions in the Roman Curia for more than twenty years. The first was in 2004, when Pope Saint John Paul II appointed Sr Enrica Rosanna, also a Salesian Sister of Don Bosco, as an Under-Secretary of a Roman Curia dicastery at the then Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Flaminia Giovanelli as Under-Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, making her the first laywoman to hold a senior leadership post in a dicastery. In 2011, Sr Nicla Spezzati was appointed Under-Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. During the latter part of his pontificate, Pope Francis took the cautious work of his predecessors considerably further. In 2021, he appointed Sister Nathalie Becquart as Under-Secretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, making her the first woman to hold the post. In 2022, he appointed Raffaella Petrini, Sister Yvonne Reungoat and María Lía Zervino as the first women to become members of the Dicastery for Bishops. In 2023, he appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, before promoting her to Prefect in 2025, making her the first woman to lead a Roman Curia dicastery. The Pope has also made a number of other appointments within the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Alongside Sister Alessandra Smerilli as Prefect, he has named Cardinal Fabio Baggio as Pro-Prefect with special responsibility for the Laudato si’ Higher Education Centre, and Monsignor Jozef Barlaš as Secretary.

What did the cardinals make of Pope Leo XIV’s second Extraordinary Consistory? Over the past week, AdVaticanum has spoken to members of the College of Cardinals, both before and after the gathering, on and off the record. This exclusive report brings together those conversations, offering a rare insight into what was really discussed behind closed doors. As Pope Leo XIV hands the Metropolitan Archbishops their palliums today, Monday 29 June, in St Peter’s Basilica, this exclusive feature presents the behind-the-scenes, unfiltered reflections of the Church’s Princes regarding the debates that took place during the Extraordinary Consistory on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 June. Over the past week, AdVaticanum has engaged in in-depth conversations with several members of the College of Cardinals, some speaking on the record and others preferring to speak off the record, both before and after the Consistory. These senior voices offer a rare glimpse into what actually went on and what may yet unfold in the Church. Compared to Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Extraordinary Consistory in January, the atmosphere of this Consistory felt distinctly different from the very beginning. The January Consistory began with afternoon sessions. This time, however, the schedule was quietly revised in favour of intensive morning sessions. This change, which meant the first day began with Holy Mass at 7 a.m., required earlier arrivals and a tighter format that limited the usual interactions which had characterised the first Consistory. Furthermore, the deliberate move away from the more open media engagement of January was immediately noticeable. During the first Consistory, daily press briefings and the occasional comment from a cardinal followed each day’s sessions. This time, however, journalists received only an official summary from the Holy See Press Office, creating the feeling of a media blackout. This should not have come as a surprise, as Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s pre-Consistory letter had already set the tone for the entire gathering. In the letter sent to the College of Cardinals, the Dean, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, laid out clear expectations regarding the tone and conduct of the meeting. Under the heading “Confidentiality”, the document stated: “You are asked to maintain confidentiality regarding the proceedings and not to release any statements to the press during the Consistory. A press conference will be held at the end. It is recommended that you do not reveal the attribution of the speakers.” Multiple cardinals, when contacted privately by several Vatican correspondents, sent almost identical cautious replies even before the Consistory: “We will wait… we can’t comment even after the Consistory… we’ll wait for the press conference.” Inadvertently, this media blackout created an atmosphere of mild tension in which journalists relied on behind-the-scenes conversations and anonymous reflections. Those conversations often carried more weight than the official meditations and statements issued by the Holy See Press Office, precisely because official Vatican channels had been so deliberately constrained. Beyond the general atmosphere of the June Consistory, attendance was also noteworthy. Of the roughly 241 current members of the College of Cardinals, 178 participated. This marked a modest increase from the approximately 170 cardinals who attended the first Extraordinary Consistory in January. However, overshadowing this was reporting by Il Giornale Vatican correspondent Nico Spuntoni, who revealed that several prominent conservative voices were absent, including Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong, Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht, and Cardinal Péter Erdő of Esztergom-Budapest. AdVaticanum also has been informed that certain Rome-based cardinals were not in attendance due to advanced age. For example, prominent figures such as Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, the longtime secretary to Pope John Paul II, did not attend the Consistory. While some cardinals who had missed the first Consistory did attend the second, including Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Archbishop Emeritus of Vienna, after recovering from a health scare, other prelates, particularly those from regions further from the Vatican, were absent from both Consistories. Examples include Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes of Managua and Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of Indonesia. Prior to the Consistory, many cardinals offered measured and largely positive comments when speaking to AdVaticanum. Italian Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, for instance, stated: “I am deeply grateful to Pope Leo for the Consistory in January and the one scheduled for June. Convening cardinals from around the world is an expression of the Pope’s pastoral concern.” The Cardinal Emeritus of Genoa went on to say: “The cardinals’ specialty is to assist the Supreme Pontiff in his lofty task of governance. The Consistory is always an experience of ecclesial communion and a great enrichment: 200 men come from all over the world to pray and reflect with the Pope on selected themes. My hope is that the Holy Father will increasingly sense our fraternal closeness and filial support, both from us and, through us, from the entire Church.” Papabile Cardinal Maung Bo said he was “really happy to be here” and that he “loved the Pope”, adding that he was thankful the Holy Father had invited them to Rome again “to discuss the real issues”. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich similarly commented that the cardinals, united as the College of the Church, must “protect and represent the Church well in this Consistory.” Yet this public-facing tone contrasted sharply with the private conversations AdVaticanum had with several cardinals in the days before the sessions began. Before even discussing this Consistory, many of the cardinals who wished to speak first reflected on the January gathering. A few praised it; however, the majority of those I spoke to did not. Speaking about the voting process used to determine the discussion topics, one conservative cardinal said: “There was this votation, but now we have a very wide program, no? This is not only one point, but one theme. And I don’t know how, at the end, it will work.” However, a few cardinals begged to differ. Cardinal Napier told AdVaticanum that he was quite surprised by the complaints about the synodal-style voting at the discussion tables. “I went there with an open mind, and I thought, I accept—I accepted or expected, maybe even accepted, that everyone was doing the same. “Pope Leo offered us an opportunity to deal with topics which we had been advised about beforehand, and we had time to prepare which ones we would like to deal with, and just put them in the order of priority that we’d want to deal with them.” Similarly, a liberal cardinal from South America thought that the topics themselves were not necessarily rooted in the needs of every region: “Yeah, it’s just a question about the main needs for the Church today, but it’s not—it’s not, uh, absolutely strange. We have the great challenges in the world of today. Countries are different.” Similarly, the conservative cardinal who spoke to AdVaticanum about the voting system later told us: “In Europe, we have these wrong ideas, ideologies, wrong ideas of human existence and essence, and the goal of human existence, the wrong anthropology, LGBT, and the destruction of the family, or of one’s own identity, of the importance of the body.” Turning to the June Consistory itself, one issue some cardinals believed had been overlooked was the question of the liturgy. “No, but it’s not forbidden to speak about all these questions about the liturgy, because liturgy is in the Catholic faith, and life is the main mission of the Church, the veneration of God, the transmission of grace in the seven sacraments, in the prayers, and in the worship of God.” However, a liberal cardinal told AdVaticanum: “I don’t think too many of us would have been overcome. Not all of us are upset about those not getting liturgy to the fore.” Similarly, there was also concern among moderate and conservative cardinals regarding Cardinal Grech’s emphasis on synodality. A European moderate cardinal said: “Until now, he has not been able to give a definition of what synodality is. What can we implement? Synodality is not a revealed reality.” A former Curial cardinal went further, saying: “It’s only a form of working together of everybody in the Church, but has nothing to do with the Synod of Bishops.” Cardinal Müller told AdVaticanum before the Consistory: “The Synod of Bishops is a realisation of the collegiality of the bishops, but now when it is opened to laypeople and other priests, it has nothing to do with the synod in the classical sense. There’s no ecclesiastical basis, no?” He continued: “Like in this working group, I think nine, where they introduced homosexuality as the same form of living together, like a sex matrimony of man and woman, no? And in another working group, they really devised the sacramentality of priesthood, no? And this is a very vile way to change the doctrine, the revealed doctrine of the Church, no? This is manipulation, no?” However, it is important to note that this Consistory was not viewed by many as a litmus test of Pope Leo. As one conservative cardinal from Africa put it: “He has still not appointed cardinals, but some bishops, but it’s not at the highest level.” He continued: “But in his homilies, and what he said in Spain, in the Parliament, for example, or the encyclical, it’s a higher level, no? Intellectual level, no? I think he understands it.” More colourfully, a non-voting cardinal, who insisted that his remarks remain firmly off the record, remarked: “For the stupid people, it’s an invitation to present their stupidities. The past few years it’s been a little bit dangerous to speak out the Catholic truth, which was not wanted, no?” As these pre-Consistory questions began to be answered, the Consistory itself commenced. AdVaticanum reported extensively on the official proceedings in previous coverage. However, what was said behind closed doors was another story. Unsurprisingly, the first day was calm and largely uneventful, focusing on the meditative reflections delivered by Cardinal Ryś. One conservative cardinal commented simply: “I think they addressed the subject in a very thoughtful way.” Another moderate cardinal added: “I think it was a good meditation.” Then came the bombshell intervention from Cardinal Müller. Nico Spuntoni of Il Giornale reported that Cardinal Gerhard Müller used his free intervention to address the SSPX directly. The cardinal called for a clear doctrinal response to the Fraternity’s recent open letter to the Pope and the College of Cardinals, while proposing the establishment of a new Pontifical Commission modelled on the former Ecclesia Dei to facilitate the return to full communion of those affected by the upcoming episcopal consecrations which have no papal mandate. Prior to Cardinal Müller’s intervention, the German cardinal spoke exclusively to AdVaticanum about what he described as the grave danger of schism posed by the SSPX and the Church’s duty to address it. “Cardinals cannot neglect this theme, because it’s a system. There’s a great number of, of course, faithful souls. Faithful, and they are going the wrong way,” His Eminence warned. Cardinal Müller continued: “And the schism is always very bad for the Church. Saint Augustine had all his life questions with the Donatists, and this separation and these divisions was responsible.” Drawing on historical examples, Müller added: “And later the Church was not able to resist Islam, no? And the Jansenists and the Old Catholics, these schisms, it’s all the type of wound of the Body of Jesus Christ, no?” Cardinals who defended Cardinal Müller told AdVaticanum that, “Cardinals are not absolutely bound to the thematic.” After the Consistory, Cardinal Müller simply told AdVaticanum that “the best kings were always those who had the best counselors.” AdVaticanum was also told that there was “no verbal resonance” and “no pushback” and that the Pope did not react and remained stoic throughout the intervention. A former Curial conservative cardinal defended Cardinal Müller, saying: “They were called for interventions, and I mean, at least I and a number of my brother cardinals were, were very concerned that this crisis is going on with regard to the SSPX, and we never addressed it. So I was happy that Cardinal Müller made his intervention.” However, this isn’t the full story, as many moderate and liberal cardinals also had their grievances. A liberal cardinal told AdVaticanum : “My first thought when I heard him launching out on that was, ‘Here’s a man who’s not actually respecting the agenda, and the Pope has drawn up the agenda, or the other cardinals who’ve come here to discuss the agenda.'” Even a conservative cardinal said: “He’s going off on a tangent. But I know Müller quite well, so I’m not terribly surprised that he took that angle.” A moderate added: “I must say I’m disappointed that, even at this stage, he was blaming Francis for everything that was going wrong in the Church. Now, already in these early days, it seems he’s pointing to Leo.” AdVaticanum spoke to a table of cardinals, and one of them told us: “I must honestly say, at our table, most of us said, ‘Oh, there he goes again.’ That would have been the reaction because it’s not on the agenda.” After this bombshell, there were a few discussions about the liturgy, albeit briefly. From what AdVaticanum understands, concerns were raised about liturgical reverence. One internal conversation between cardinals touched on liturgical abuse, with one saying: “There’s too many—too much freedom in people doing what they feel is right, but not necessarily following what the Church understands of that particular aspect of the liturgy.” On the second day, things heated up following Cardinal Brislin’s meditation, which was generally praised. However, it was Cardinal Grech’s presentation on synodality that proved most divisive. Speaking during the final sessions of Pope Leo XIV’s Extraordinary Consistory, Cardinal Grech argued that the Church had reached the point where synodality could no longer be regarded as a temporary initiative or isolated ecclesial project, but as a permanent dimension of Catholic life. Presenting his report on the implementation of the Synod, Cardinal Grech told the assembly that the Church was entering “a new stage in the reception of the Second Vatican Council”, moving beyond the Synod on Synodality itself towards the practical application of its conclusions in dioceses throughout the world. Rather than presenting synodality as a programme with a defined end, he proposed it as a lasting way of exercising ecclesial responsibility through listening, discernment and shared participation. A conservative cardinal did not hold back, saying: “It was not acceptable. I don’t accept it. That final document is a document of the ordinary magisterium; that is not true. The Pope can only declare the ordinary magisterium on the basis of the doctrine of the deposit of the faith.” Other interventions included that of Cardinal Rouco, Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid. He explained what synodality was and was not, criticising it by appealing to the ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council. Summarising his speech, one cardinal said: “He pointed out that there is nothing in the tradition of canon law regarding synodality; yes, there is on synods, but synods were viewed as extraordinary events to seek consultation from the faithful, from the bishops, whoever it may be. But it certainly was never conceived as an essential mark of the Church, or as a way for the Church to conduct her life.” This paved the way for the free interventions on the final day, when the Consistory reached its most intense point as Cardinal Burke decided to intervene against synodality. In an exclusive account compiled by AdVaticanum from multiple cardinals who listened attentively to his remarks, Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke delivered a substantive free intervention. In particular, addressing the Final Report of Study Group No. 9 concerning theological and methodological criteria for shared discernment on emerging doctrinal, pastoral and ethical questions, Burke focused significant attention on its section dealing with the “experiences of believing homosexual persons”. Numerous cardinals reported that he described the publication as manifesting “the very grave difficulty with the current direction and functioning of the Synod”. Arguing that, even though it was presented as the work of a study group, its integration into the broader synodal direction gives it weight as part of the official “theological and methodological synodal criteria”. Numerous sources told us that Cardinal Burke warned that the report, by invoking a so-called “paradigm shift”, takes a path divergent from the Church’s perennial moral teaching on the homosexual condition and corresponding acts. He defended the Courage apostolate, long supported by faithful Catholics seeking to live chastely, as a model pastoral response developed under a holy priest, while criticising the document for slandering such efforts and appearing to validate agendas in “open opposition to the traditional moral doctrine of the Church”. His Eminence called for restoring the Synod’s proper integrity under the Successor of St Peter, ensuring authentic dialogue remained rooted in divine truth, the objective moral order and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit rather than individual inclinations or worldly ideologies. He concluded by invoking St John Paul II’s Veritatis Splendor in defence of immutable moral norms as a service to true freedom. According to those familiar with the closed-door proceedings, Cardinal Burke’s intervention resonated strongly and garnered notable support even from several moderate cardinals. While a number of more progressive and Curial cardinals appeared visibly disgruntled, some reacting almost as if inebriated by discomfort at the direct challenge to prevailing synodal directions. However, there were less contentious interventions as well. Cardinal Wilton Gregory spoke movingly about his forefathers being brought in chains as slaves to the United States, describing it as the “worst memory in the life of mankind that was possible.” Furthermore, it was confirmed to AdVaticanum by a cardinal that the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) was raised during a free intervention. The cardinal said: “I do believe that one or two of the cardinals, I think from North America in particular, have commented on how the numbers of young Catholics are coming back to the Eucharist, but coming precisely to those churches where the old liturgy is being celebrated.” A liberal cardinal corroborated this, saying: “Now, whether it’s the language, I don’t know if it’s in Latin or whether it’s in English, but whether it’s also because the priests are observing the instructions more closely, they are talking about the old liturgy.” Furthermore, Cardinal Goh of Singapore also spoke publicly in defence of the Latin Mass during his intervention, AdVaticanum can reveal. Looking ahead, attention is already turning to the next Consistory, which is expected to take place next year. After two Extraordinary Consistories, several cardinals indicated that liturgical questions are likely to be the next major subject for discussion, although plans could yet change. While there appeared to be broad appreciation among the cardinals for Pope Leo XIV’s leadership and willingness to foster open discussion, the synodal format remained a point of unease for some participants. Yet the overriding impression was that the atmosphere within the College of Cardinals had shifted. As one cardinal remarked: “I think with a new Pope, everybody feels free, and that’s absolutely clear.”

Day eight of our novena marking the 75th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s priestly ordination features his Farewell Address at his final General Audience, delivered on 27 February 2013 To mark the 75th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s priestly ordination, AdVaticanum is publishing a nine-day novena of some of the most important homilies and addresses of his public life. Today we publish Pope Benedict XVI’s Farewell Address at his final General Audience, delivered in St Peter’s Square on 27 February 2013, the day before his resignation took effect. Before tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in the square, Benedict reflected on the years of his pontificate, thanking the faithful for accompanying him with their prayers and assuring them that he had always sought to follow the will of God. He spoke of the Church as belonging to Christ rather than any individual Pope and entrusted her future confidently to the Lord. The address stands as one of the most personal moments of Benedict’s public ministry, revealing the humility and serenity that characterised his final days as Supreme Pontiff. Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Presbyterate! Distinguished Authorities! Dear Brothers and Sisters! I thank all of you for having come in such great numbers to this last General Audience. Heartfelt thanks! I am truly moved and I see the Church alive! And I think we should also says thanks to the Creator for the fine weather which he gives us even on this winter day. Like the Apostle Paul in the biblical text which we have heard, I too feel a deep need first and foremost to thank God, who gives guidance and growth to the Church, who sows his word and thus nourishes faith in his people. At this moment my heart expands and embraces the whole Church throughout the world; and I thank God for all that I have “heard” in these years of the Petrine ministry about the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the love which truly circulates in the Body of the Church and makes it live in love, and about the hope which opens and directs us towards the fullness of life, towards our heavenly homeland. I feel that I bear everyone in prayer, in a present, God’s present, in which I gather together every one of my meetings, journeys and pastoral visits. In prayer I gather each and all, in order to entrust them to the Lord: that we might be filled with the knowledge of his will, with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, and that we might lead a life worthy of him and of his love, bearing fruit in every good work (cf. Col 1:9-10). At this moment I feel great confidence, because I know, we all know, that the Gospel word of truth is the Church’s strength, it is her life. The Gospel purifies and renews, it bears fruit, wherever the community of believers hears it and receives God’s grace in truth and charity. This is my confidence, this is my joy. When on 19 April nearly eight years ago I accepted the Petrine ministry, I had the firm certainty that has always accompanied me: this certainty of the life of the Church which comes from the word of God. At that moment, as I have often said, the words which echoed in my heart were: Lord, why are you asking this of me, and what is it that you are asking of me? It is a heavy burden which you are laying on my shoulders, but if you ask it of me, at your word I will cast the net, sure that you will lead me even with all my weaknesses. And eight years later I can say that the Lord has truly led me, he has been close to me, I have been able to perceive his presence daily. It has been a portion of the Church’s journey which has had its moments of joy and light, but also moments which were not easy; I have felt like Saint Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of Galilee: the Lord has given us so many days of sun and of light winds, days when the catch was abundant; there were also moments when the waters were rough and the winds against us, as throughout the Church’s history, and the Lord seemed to be sleeping. But I have always known that the Lord is in that boat, and I have always known that the barque of the Church is not mine but his. Nor does the Lord let it sink; it is he who guides it, surely also through those whom he has chosen, because he so wished. This has been, and is, a certainty which nothing can shake. For this reason my heart todays overflows with gratitude to God, for he has never let his Church, or me personally, lack his consolation, his light, his love. We are in the Year of Faith which I desired precisely to reaffirm our faith in God in a context which seems to push him more and more into the background. I should like to invite all of us to renew our firm confidence in the Lord, to entrust ourselves like children in God’s arms, certain that those arms always hold us, enabling us to press forward each day, even when the going is rough. I want everyone to feel loved by that God who gave his Son for us and who has shown us his infinite love. I want everyone to feel the joy of being a Christian. In one beautiful morning prayer, it says: “I adore you, my God, and I love you with all my heart. I thank you for having created me and made me a Christian…”. Yes, we are happy for the gift of faith; it is our most precious possession, which no one can take from us! Let us thank the Lord for this daily, in prayer and by a consistent Christian life. God loves us, but he also expects us to love him! But it is not only God whom I want to thank at this moment. The Pope is not alone in guiding the barque of Peter, even if it is his first responsibility. I have never felt alone in bearing the joy and the burden of the Petrine ministry; the Lord has set beside me so many people who, with generosity and love for God and the Church, have helped me and been close to me. Above all you, dear brother Cardinals: your wisdom, your counsel and your friendship have been invaluable to me; my co-workers, beginning with my Secretary of State who has faithfully accompanied me in these years; the Secretariat of State and the whole Roman Curia, as well as all those who in various sectors offer their service to the Holy See: many, many unseen faces which remain in the background, but precisely through their silent, daily dedication in a spirit of faith and humility they have been a sure and trustworthy support to me. I also think in a special way of the Church of Rome, my Diocese! I cannot forget my Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Presbyterate, the consecrated persons and the entire People of God: in my pastoral visits, meetings, audiences and journeys I have always felt great kindness and deep affection; yet I too have felt affection for each and all without distinction, with that pastoral charity which is the heart of every Pastor, and especially of the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of the Apostle Peter. Every day I have borne each of you in prayer, with the heart of a father. I would like my greeting and my thanksgiving to extend to everyone: the heart of the Pope reaches out to the whole world. And I wish to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See which represents the great family of the nations. Here I think too of all those who work for good communications and I thank them for their important service. At this point, I would also like to thank most heartily all those people throughout the world who in these recent weeks have sent me moving expressions of concern, friendship and prayer. Yes, the Pope is never alone; now I once again experience this so overwhelmingly that my heart is touched. The Pope belongs to everyone and so many persons feel very close to him. It is true that I receive letters from world leaders – from heads of state, from religious leaders, from representatives of the world of culture, and so on. But I also receive many many letters from ordinary people who write to me simply and from the heart, and who show me their affection, an affection born of our being together with Christ Jesus, in the Church. These people do not write to me in the way one writes, for example, to a prince or some important person whom they do not know. They write to me as brothers and sisters, as sons and daughters, with a sense of a very affectionate family bond. Here one can sense palpably what the Church is – not an organization, an association for religious or humanitarian ends, but a living body, a communion of brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, which makes us all one. To experience the Church in this way and to be able as it were to put one’s finger on the strength of her truth and her love, is a cause for joy at a time when so many people are speaking of her decline. But we see how the Church is alive today! In these last months I have felt my energies declining, and I have asked God insistently in prayer to grant me his light and to help me make the right decision, not for my own good, but for the good of the Church. I have taken this step with full awareness of its gravity and even its novelty, but with profound interior serenity. Loving the Church means also having the courage to make difficult, painful decisions, always looking to the good of the Church and not of oneself. Here, allow me to go back once again to 19 April 2005. The real gravity of the decision was also due to the fact that from that moment on I was engaged always and forever by the Lord. Always – anyone who accepts the Petrine ministry no longer has any privacy. He belongs always and completely to everyone, to the whole Church. In a manner of speaking, the private dimension of his life is completely eliminated. I was able to experience, and I experience it even now, that one receives one’s life precisely when one gives it away. Earlier I said that many people who love the Lord also love the Successor of Saint Peter and feel great affection for him; that the Pope truly has brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, throughout the world, and that he feels secure in the embrace of your communion; because he no longer belongs to himself, he belongs to all and all belong to him. The “always” is also a “for ever” – there can no longer be a return to the private sphere. My decision to resign the active exercise of the ministry does not revoke this. I do not return to private life, to a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences, and so on. I am not abandoning the cross, but remaining in a new way at the side of the crucified Lord. I no longer bear the power of office for the governance of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, in the enclosure of Saint Peter. Saint Benedict, whose name I bear as Pope, will be a great example for me in this. He showed us the way for a life which, whether active or passive, is completely given over to the work of God. I also thank each and every one of you for the respect and understanding with which you have accepted this important decision. I will continue to accompany the Church’s journey with prayer and reflection, with that devotion to the Lord and his Bride which I have hitherto sought to practise daily and which I would like to practise always. I ask you to remember me in prayer before God, and above all to pray for the Cardinals, who are called to so weighty a task, and for the new Successor of the Apostle Peter: may the Lord accompany him with the light and strength of his Spirit. Let us call upon the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, that she may accompany each of us and the whole ecclesial community; to her let us commend ourselves with deep confidence. Dear friends! God guides his Church, he sustains it always, especially at times of difficulty. Let us never lose this vision of faith, which is the one true way of looking at the journey of the Church and of the world. In our hearts, in the heart of each of you, may there always abide the joyful certainty that the Lord is at our side: he does not abandon us, he remains close to us and he surrounds us with his love. Thank you!

The final session of Pope Leo XIV’s Extraordinary Consistory focused on the future of synodality, as Cardinal Mario Grech told the College of Cardinals that the Church was entering a new stage in implementing the Synod’s conclusions Cardinal Mario Grech has declared that the Church’s synodal process is entering a permanent new phase, insisting that synodality must become embedded in the ordinary life and governance of the Catholic Church. In an address to the Extraordinary Consistory, the Secretary General of the Synod described the implementation of synodality as “a new stage in the reception of the Second Vatican Council”. Speaking during the final sessions of Pope Leo XIV’s Extraordinary Consistory, Cardinal Grech argued that the Church had reached the point where synodality could no longer be regarded as a temporary initiative or isolated ecclesial project, but as a permanent dimension of Catholic life. Presenting his report on the implementation of the Synod, Cardinal Grech told the assembly that the Church was entering “a new stage in the reception of the Second Vatican Council”, moving beyond the Synod on Synodality itself towards the practical application of its conclusions in dioceses throughout the world. Rather than presenting synodality as a programme with a defined end, he proposed it as a lasting way of exercising ecclesial responsibility through listening, discernment, and shared participation. The Maltese cardinal’s intervention was the centrepiece of the Consistory’s fourth and final working session, held in the Synod Hall on Friday afternoon under the moderation of Cardinal Joseph Tobi. Cardinals subsequently reflected on the report, agreeing that further work was needed to deepen both the historical and ascetical dimensions of synodality, while ensuring that its implementation strengthened, rather than distracted from, the Church’s evangelical mission. Several speakers also emphasised the need to present “a beautiful, creative, evangelical, yet non-clerical image of the priesthood”, according to the Holy See Press Office, while cautioning against allowing consultation processes to become so complex that they burden the Church’s witness. The discussion also reaffirmed that “the hierarchical Church and the People of God both participate, in different ways, in discerning what the Spirit is saying to the Church”, while recognising the contribution that the Eastern Catholic Churches could make through their long-established synodal traditions. Cardinal Grech’s intervention followed a morning devoted to Pope Leo XIV’s new social encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas , with cardinals considering how the Church should respond to the social, political, and technological challenges shaping the modern world. The day’s principal meditation was delivered by Cardinal Stephen Brislin, who reflected on the encyclical under the title Building for the Common Good: the Building Sites of Our Time . The Cardinal focused on the biblical contrast between Babel and Jerusalem and argued that both cities represented collective human endeavour, yet embodied radically different understandings of progress. Babel, he said, demonstrated that “unity sought without God ultimately leads to the confusion of tongues – that is, to fragmentation and disintegration”, whereas Jerusalem symbolised human intelligence placed at the service of God and directed towards “promoting the dignity of every person”. The cardinal said the encyclical asked a fundamental question extending far beyond technological innovation: “What form does human endeavour take when it has access to ever more effective tools?” While artificial intelligence formed part of that discussion, the deeper issue was whether technological progress was accompanied by a corresponding sense of moral responsibility or whether it risked exposing humanity to “new forms of exclusion and reductionism”. Cardinal Brislin argued that the answer lay not in rejecting technology but in ensuring that human progress remained rooted in Christian anthropology. He pointed to four principles identified in the encyclical’s introduction — desire, limitation, shared responsibility, and discernment — describing them as the “grammar of building” needed if society was to pursue the common good rather than technological progress for its own sake. Human desire for happiness, he said, should not be dismissed but purified. “When happiness is reduced to performance or control, it impoverishes the person; when it is shaped by faith, it rediscovers its proper measure in our relationship with God, with others, and with our common home.” Equally important was recovering an appreciation of human limitation. Rather than viewing fragility as a defect to be eliminated, Cardinal Brislin said recognising limits reminded humanity that life was “a gift to be received and safeguarded”, enabling society to recognise the dignity of those marked by illness, disability, or old age. The cardinal also linked the principle of shared responsibility directly to Catholic social teaching, saying that “the common good flourishes when every individual can contribute their part and be supported in doing so”. No individual possessed the whole project, he observed, and “no one builds alone”. The conclusion of the encyclical, Cardinal Brislin continued, showed how these themes were fulfilled through the theological virtues of faith, charity, and hope. Faith revealed history as sustained by God’s saving plan through the Incarnation, charity found its source in the Eucharist, and hope enabled Christians to continue building what the document called the “civilisation of love”. Cardinal Brislin concluded by returning to the encyclical’s opening contrast between Babel and Jerusalem, arguing that Magnifica Humanitas ultimately entrusted the Church with the responsibility “to engage with the struggles of history in its own distinctive way, adopting a synodal approach”. The themes identified by Cardinal Brislin echoed repeatedly during the cardinals’ discussions. Reports from the eleven working groups highlighted what participants described as the profound fractures affecting contemporary society, including divisions between nations, communities, and families. Many of the groups warned that the erosion of identity and meaningful relationships had encouraged tribalism and exaggerated individualism, creating the illusion that others existed merely for personal success. The Holy See Press Office said that the cardinals viewed artificial intelligence not simply as a technological issue but as an anthropological challenge requiring careful ethical discernment. They stressed the importance of identifying shared human values, defending the dignity of work, and resisting the temptation to reduce human beings “to numbers and statistics”. Furthermore, synodality emerged repeatedly throughout these discussions as both a practical method of listening and a sign of ecclesial responsibility. Many groups described it as a path capable of strengthening communion while enabling the Church to respond more effectively to the cultural and political challenges confronting contemporary society.

Day seven of our novena marking the 75th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s priestly ordination features his homily for the Opening of the Year of Faith. Preached on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, Benedict called Catholics to rediscover the gift of faith and proclaim the Gospel with renewed confidence To mark the 75th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s priestly ordination, AdVaticanum is publishing a nine-day novena of some of the most important homilies and addresses of his public life. Today we publish Pope Benedict XVI’s homily for the Opening of the Year of Faith, delivered during Holy Mass in St Peter’s Square on 11 October 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. In his homily, Benedict reflected on the need for a renewed proclamation of the Gospel in an increasingly secularised world. He urged Catholics to rediscover the gift of faith, presenting it not as a private conviction but as a living encounter with Jesus Christ capable of transforming both individuals and society. The homily set the tone for the Year of Faith, which Benedict established to encourage a deeper understanding of the Church’s teaching and a renewed commitment to Christian witness. Dear Brother Bishops, Dear brothers and sisters! Today, fifty years from the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council , we begin with great joy the Year of Faith . I am delighted to greet all of you, particularly His Holiness Bartholomaois I, Patriarch of Constantinople, and His Grace Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. A special greeting goes to the Patriarchs and Major Archbishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches, and to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences. In order to evoke the Council, which some present had the grace to experience for themselves – and I greet them with particular affection – this celebration has been enriched by several special signs: the opening procession, intended to recall the memorable one of the Council Fathers when they entered this Basilica; the enthronement of the Book of the Gospels with the same book that was used at the Council; the consignment of the seven final Messages of the Council, and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I will do before the final blessing. These signs help us not only to remember, they also offer us the possibility of going beyond commemorating. They invite us to enter more deeply into the spiritual movement which characterized Vatican II, to make it ours and to develop it according to its true meaning. And its true meaning was and remains faith in Christ, the apostolic faith, animated by the inner desire to communicate Christ to individuals and all people, in the Church’s pilgrimage along the pathways of history. The Year of Faith which we launch today is linked harmoniously with the Church’s whole path over the last fifty years: from the Council, through the Magisterium of the Servant of God Paul VI , who proclaimed a Year of Faith in 1967, up to the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, with which Blessed John Paul II re-proposed to all humanity Jesus Christ as the one Saviour, yesterday, today and forever. Between these two Popes, Paul VI and John Paul II, there was a deep and complete convergence, precisely upon Christ as the centre of the cosmos and of history, and upon the apostolic eagerness to announce him to the world. Jesus is the centre of the Christian faith. The Christian believes in God whose face was revealed by Jesus Christ. He is the fulfilment of the Scriptures and their definitive interpreter. Jesus Christ is not only the object of the faith but, as it says in the Letter to the Hebrews, he is “the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith” (12:2). Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus Christ, consecrated by the Father in the Holy Spirit, is the true and perennial subject of evangelization. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18). This mission of Christ, this movement of his continues in space and time, over centuries and continents. It is a movement which starts with the Father and, in the power of the Spirit, goes forth to bring the good news to the poor, in both a material and a spiritual sense. The Church is the first and necessary instrument of this work of Christ because it is united to him as a body to its head. “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (Jn 20:21), says the Risen One to his disciples, and breathing upon them, adds, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (v.22). Through Christ, God is the principal subject of evangelization in the world; but Christ himself wished to pass on his own mission to the Church; he did so, and continues to do so, until the end of time pouring out his Spirit upon the disciples, the same Spirit who came upon him and remained in him during all his earthly life, giving him the strength “to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” and “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk 4:18-19). The Second Vatican Council did not wish to deal with the theme of faith in one specific document. It was, however, animated by a desire, as it were, to immerse itself anew in the Christian mystery so as to re-propose it fruitfully to contemporary man. The Servant of God Paul VI , two years after the end of the Council session, expressed it in this way: “Even if the Council does not deal expressly with the faith, it talks about it on every page, it recognizes its vital and supernatural character, it assumes it to be whole and strong, and it builds upon its teachings. We need only recall some of the Council’s statements in order to realize the essential importance that the Council, consistent with the doctrinal tradition of the Church, attributes to the faith, the true faith, which has Christ for its source and the Church’s Magisterium for its channel” (General Audience, 8 March 1967). Thus said Paul VI in 1967. We now turn to the one who convoked the Second Vatican Council and inaugurated it: Blessed John XXIII . In his opening speech, he presented the principal purpose of the Council in this way: “What above all concerns the Ecumenical Council is this: that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine be safeguarded and taught more effectively […] Therefore, the principal purpose of this Council is not the discussion of this or that doctrinal theme… a Council is not required for that… [but] this certain and immutable doctrine, which is to be faithfully respected, needs to be explored and presented in a way which responds to the needs of our time” (AAS 54 [1962], 790,791-792). So said Pope John at the inauguration of the Council. In the light of these words, we can understand what I myself felt at the time: during the Council there was an emotional tension as we faced the common task of making the truth and beauty of the faith shine out in our time, without sacrificing it to the demands of the present or leaving it tied to the past: the eternal presence of God resounds in the faith, transcending time, yet it can only be welcomed by us in our own unrepeatable today. Therefore I believe that the most important thing, especially on such a significant occasion as this, is to revive in the whole Church that positive tension, that yearning to announce Christ again to contemporary man. But, so that this interior thrust towards the new evangelization neither remain just an idea nor be lost in confusion, it needs to be built on a concrete and precise basis, and this basis is the documents of the Second Vatican Council , the place where it found expression. This is why I have often insisted on the need to return, as it were, to the “letter” of the Council – that is to its texts – also to draw from them its authentic spirit, and why I have repeated that the true legacy of Vatican II is to be found in them. Reference to the documents saves us from extremes of anachronistic nostalgia and running too far ahead, and allows what is new to be welcomed in a context of continuity. The Council did not formulate anything new in matters of faith, nor did it wish to replace what was ancient. Rather, it concerned itself with seeing that the same faith might continue to be lived in the present day, that it might remain a living faith in a world of change. If we place ourselves in harmony with the authentic approach which Blessed John XXIII wished to give to Vatican II, we will be able to realize it during this Year of Faith , following the same path of the Church as she continuously endeavours to deepen the deposit of faith entrusted to her by Christ. The Council Fathers wished to present the faith in a meaningful way; and if they opened themselves trustingly to dialogue with the modern world it is because they were certain of their faith, of the solid rock on which they stood. In the years following, however, many embraced uncritically the dominant mentality, placing in doubt the very foundations of the deposit of faith, which they sadly no longer felt able to accept as truths. If today the Church proposes a new Year of Faith and a new evangelization, it is not to honour an anniversary, but because there is more need of it, even more than there was fifty years ago! And the reply to be given to this need is the one desired by the Popes, by the Council Fathers and contained in its documents. Even the initiative to create a Pontifical Council for the promotion of the new evangelization , which I thank for its special effort for the Year of Faith , is to be understood in this context. Recent decades have seen the advance of a spiritual “desertification”. In the Council’s time it was already possible from a few tragic pages of history to know what a life or a world without God looked like, but now we see it every day around us. This void has spread. But it is in starting from the experience of this desert, from this void, that we can again discover the joy of believing, its vital importance for us, men and women. In the desert we rediscover the value of what is essential for living; thus in today’s world there are innumerable signs, often expressed implicitly or negatively, of the thirst for God, for the ultimate meaning of life. And in the desert people of faith are needed who, with their own lives, point out the way to the Promised Land and keep hope alive. Living faith opens the heart to the grace of God which frees us from pessimism. Today, more than ever, evangelizing means witnessing to the new life, transformed by God, and thus showing the path. The first reading spoke to us of the wisdom of the wayfarer (cf. Sir 34:9-13): the journey is a metaphor for life, and the wise wayfarer is one who has learned the art of living, and can share it with his brethren – as happens to pilgrims along the Way of Saint James or similar routes which, not by chance, have again become popular in recent years. How come so many people today feel the need to make these journeys? Is it not because they find there, or at least intuit, the meaning of our existence in the world? This, then, is how we can picture the Year of Faith , a pilgrimage in the deserts of today’s world, taking with us only what is necessary: neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, nor two tunics – as the Lord said to those he was sending out on mission (cf. Lk 9:3), but the Gospel and the faith of the Church, of which the Council documents are a luminous expression, as is the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published twenty years ago. Venerable and dear Brothers, 11 October 1962 was the Feast of Mary Most Holy, Mother of God. Let us entrust to her the Year of Faith , as I did last week when I went on pilgrimage to Loreto. May the Virgin Mary always shine out as a star along the way of the new evangelization. May she help us to put into practice the Apostle Paul’s exhortation, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom […] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:16-17). Amen.