The challenges identified by the cardinals before the conclave

In the days before the conclave to choose the next Pope, the Cardinal College met for 12 general congregations in the Vatican, in order to reflect on the state of the Church and the numerous challenges he faces in the modern world.

The meetings, held from April 22 to May 6, included both voters, under 80 years of age, and not electors over 80, who, although they cannot vote in the conclave, actively participated in the conversations.

The first sessions focused on procedure matters, including funeral arrangements and confirmation that the conclave would begin on May 7. As the days progressed, the cardinals directed their attention to urgent ecclesial and global concerns.

According to the daily reports of the press office of the Holy See, the cardinals addressed a wide range of issues, including evangelization, sexual abuse, Vatican’s finances, synodality, interreligious dialogue, war and conflicts, and the desired profile of the next Pope.

Attendance at general congregations constantly increased during the first days of the meetings, starting with approximately 60 cardinals on April 22 and arriving at more than 180 on April 29.

The twelfth and last congregation took place on May 6 with 173 cardinals present, 130 of which were voters.

“Among the main issues that arose, it was reaffirmed that many of the reforms promoted by Pope Francis must continue: the fight against abuse, economic transparency, the reorganization of the curia, the synodality, the commitment to peace and the care of creation,” said the Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, on the last meeting of the Cardinal Congregation.

It should be noted that the general congregations were carried out behind closed doors without access to the press, and the daily summaries of the covered themes provided by the Vatican were not exhaustive. For example, the issues addressed in the intervention of Cardinal Joseph Zen on April 30, including a criticism of the Synod of Sinodality and the explicit mention of scandals related to the deceased Theodore McCarrick and Fr. Marko Rupnik, were not reflected in the report of the press office of the Holy See on the general congregation of that day.

We shared a look at some of the challenges on which the cardinals spoke before the conclave:

Evangelism

Evangelization emerged as a recurring theme throughout the congregations. On May 5, during the tenth general congregation, there were interventions that focused on the missionary nature of the Church and the transmission of faith. On May 3, the cardinals emphasized the need for a Pope with a “prophetic spirit capable of leading a church that does not confine itself, but knows how to come out and bring light to a world marked by despair,” according to Bruni.

On May 2, the cardinals reflected on evangelization as the heart of Pope Francis. Several interventions highlighted the urgency of effectively communicating the Gospel at all levels of the Church’s life, from parishes to the Roman curia. Several speakers highlighted the importance of mutual love as the first form of evangelization and another spoke about “the hermeneutics of continuity” among the pontificate of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francisco, particularly in relation to the Eucharist and the evangelizing mission of the Church.

On April 30, the cardinals heard an intervention on the importance of coherence between the proclamation of the Gospel and the concrete testimony of Christian life. Evangelization also appeared in April 28 conversations.

War and global conflict

Cardinals of conflict zones offered first -hand testimonies about the suffering caused by war. On May 5, the dialogues included the theme of war and the fragmentation of the world. On May 3, the cardinals reflected on the role of the Church and the Pope in the promotion of peace. On May 2, special attention was paid to oriental churches, described as marked by suffering but also by a strong faith.

On May 6, at the beginning of the last congregation, the cardinals expressed their regret for the lack of progress in the peace processes in Ukraine, the Middle East and other regions. They pointed out an intensification of the attacks, particularly against civilians, and made a sincere call for a permanent fire and the negotiation of a fair and lasting peace. The cardinals invited all the faithful to intensify their prayers for peace.

Sexual abuse

The issue of sexual abuse was explicitly addressed on May 2. Bruni said that these wounds remain “open” and stressed the importance of awareness and identification of concrete roads for healing. Financial scandals were also mentioned as part of the “counter-testimony” of the Church. The theme of abuse was also raised in the sessions of April 28 and May 6.

Vatican finance

On April 30, the cardinals talked about the financial situation of the Holy See. Cardinal Reinhard Marx presented an update on economic challenges and sustainability proposals. Cardinal Kevin Farrell described the work of the Investment Committee, while Cardinal Christoph Schönborn spoke about the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR). Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga provided an update on Vatican’s property and buildings renovations. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, apostolic alms, talked about the work of Dicastery for the service of charity.

Sinodality

The synodality synod arose in the interventions during several of the general congregations. On May 5, it was presented as “an expression of an ecclesiology of communion in which everyone is called to participate, listen and discern together.” On May 3, some of the cardinals emphasized synodality and collegiality. On May 2, they talked about synodality in relation to the mission and the need to overcome secularism. On April 30, several interventions reflected on synodality as an expression of “differentiated co -responsibility” connected to the episcopal collegiality, said the press office of the Holy See.

Divisions in the Church

Concerns about polarization within the Church were raised on May 5, with an intervention that expressed alarm for internal divisions. On May 3, the cardinals approached the double role of the Church to live communion within itself and to promote fraternity in the world. On April 30, an intervention reflected on the suffering caused by ecclesial and social polarization.

During his last congregation, the issue of divisions within the Church and in society was addressed again, together with the way in which the cardinals are called to play their role in relation to the papacy.

Priestly and religious vocations

The vocations were addressed in multiple sessions. On April 30, the issue was linked to the spiritual and pastoral renewal of the Church. On May 5, the cardinals talked about the vocations, family and responsibility of the Church to educate young people.

Service to the poor and migrants

On May 5, the cardinals spoke about the importance of Cáritas and their role not only in the provision of help, but also in the defense of the poor and in the testimony of the call of the Gospel to Justice. In the afternoon session of the same day, they talked about migration, recognizing migrants as a gift for the Church, while highlighting the need to accompany them and support their faith.

Other topics

The cardinals also talked about the care of creation, the legacy of Pope Francis, the global fraternity, education as a transformation tool, ecumenical dialogue, the role of the curia, the importance of canon law and the centrality of the liturgy.

In the last general congregation of May 6, the Cardinals spoke of the “need to make the meetings of the Cardinal College more significant on the occasion of the consistories” in the future, since this would give the cardinals more opportunities to meet. After 12 general congregations, the hope is that the cardinals, from 70 different countries, at least they know a little better than they did 15 days ago, at the beginning of the transcendental task of choosing the next successor of Pedro.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.