Pope Leo XIV has formally summoned the world’s cardinals to a June 26–27 consistory in a letter urging a renewed focus on the Church’s core proclamation of the risen Christ rather than institutional preservation.
The letter, dated April 12 and released by the Vatican press office April 14, frames the gathering as part of a broader effort to reorient the Church’s mission around the kerygma — the essential Gospel message — which the Holy Father described as “the heart of our Christian and ecclesial identity.”
The kerygma
Drawing heavily on Evangelii Gaudium, the 2013 teaching document of Pope Francis, Pope Leo called for an “honest assessment” of how much of its vision has been implemented more than a decade after its publication. He said the exhortation remains a “breath of fresh air” capable of driving missionary and pastoral renewal, even if many of its priorities remain unrealized.
He outlined a Church mission that is “Christ-centered and kerygmatic,” spreading “through attraction rather than conquest” and emphasized that this vision must shape every level of Church life — from individual believers to parishes and dioceses.
At the personal level, he said Catholics are called to move from “a faith merely received to a faith truly lived and experienced.” At the parish level, he urged a shift away from maintenance toward active missionary engagement, with communities becoming “living agents” of evangelization. At the diocesan level, he said bishops must ensure that missionary efforts are not “weighed down or stifled by organizational excesses.”
The Pope also signaled a shift away from measuring the Church’s success by its size or cultural influence, saying it should not fear becoming smaller or less dominant but instead embrace its identity as a “small flock” focused on mission. He warned against prioritizing institutional survival — such as maintaining structures or numbers — over proclaiming the Gospel, urging leaders to move beyond what he described as a "maintenance" mindset and toward a "missionary" one.
He said anxiety over decline can distort priorities, while the Church’s true purpose is to communicate God’s love, spreading “through attraction rather than conquest,” even in increasingly secular societies.
Among the issues flagged for discussion at the June meeting are reforms to Christian initiation, a reassessment of how apostolic and pastoral visits are conducted, and a renewed approach to Church communication, including at the level of the Holy See.
The consistory will be Pope Leo’s second since his election. He has indicated he intends to convene the College of Cardinals regularly as part of ongoing consultation and discernment within the global Church.
As Zeale News reported, the schedule allows for two full days of sessions — an apparent response to criticism from cardinals including Cardinal Joseph Zen and Cardinal Raymond Burke, who noted that January's tight structure left too little time for broad participation.