Cardinal Burke calls Vatican consistory ‘important beginning’ but urges better organization

ROME (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke revealed the recent extraordinary consistory at the Vatican offered cardinals a rare chance to meet, discuss Church issues, and express concerns to Pope Leo XIV.

On January 15, The College of Cardinals Report published an exclusive interview with Burke about the extraordinary consistory convened by Pope Leo XIV in Rome from January 7-8. The gathering, the first of its kind since 2014, aimed to foster dialogue among cardinals about the governance and pastoral needs of the Catholic Church. Burke praised the meeting as a valuable opportunity for cardinals to exchange views during work groups and informal breaks, though he also noted organizational challenges in the consistory’s format.

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“If the Church gets these two things correct, everything else will be in order: the appointment of bishops and the conduct of seminaries. If the people have good shepherds, they will follow them, flourish in holiness of life, and engage in the Church’s mission,” Burke said.

Burke explained that this consistory differed from traditional formats, which usually involved a single-topic general debate preceded by a presentation from a theologian or canonist. Instead, cardinals were divided into small groups according to language, a format first introduced in 2022 by Pope Francis during a pseudo-consistory which he named simply “Incontro dei Cardinali” or, “meeting of the cardinals.”

“All the discussions took place in the small groups, and then in the general session there was simply a report of the secretaries,” Burke noted.

The final sessions were held in the large Paul VI hall, rather than smaller meeting rooms, which Burke said made conversation more difficult. “If anyone has a bit of a problem with hearing, there’s just general noise of voices speaking,” he said. He suggested that future consistories should consider restoring opportunities for a true general debate.

Furthermore, Burke said that cardinals received the list of the four topics only two days before the consistory, and the first session was spent voting on which two topics to discuss. Burke described this as inefficient: “We spent the whole time voting on it in small groups. That was a disappointment.”

“At my table, a number of cardinals didn’t receive the communication of the topics at all, so we spent a lot of time explaining what the topics were. There was a problem of organization, that is certain,” the cardinal revealed.

Additionally, table assignments – dividing cardinals with diocesan responsibilities, those without jurisdiction, and members of the Roman Curia – limited the exchange of ideas, Burke noted. Reports from small groups were sent by email rather than shared in real time, which he said hindered broader discussion.

Although two sessions allowed free intervention for 45 minutes, each cardinal could speak only three minutes, meaning only about 15 cardinals spoke per session. Burke noted that not all voices were heard, and some repeated interventions, leaving parts of the college unable to participate fully. He stressed that while topics like evangelization were broad, specific points could be lost in reporting summaries.

Burke also expressed gratitude for the Pope convening the consistory and announcing another for June 27-28, as well as his plan for annual multi-day consistories. “I am very grateful to Pope Leo that he right away called a consistory as soon as the old year was over and that he’s committed to having these consistories. That is a step up and a very positive sign,” he said.

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Finally, he raised concerns about the Pope’s heavy schedule during the Jubilee Year, with multiple meetings each week, which could limit his time for studying documents, Church governance, and episcopal appointments. “The Pope is expected to be constantly meeting people and attending big gatherings. We need to avoid the image of the Pope as a political figure seeking consensus. He is the Teacher of the Faith, the Supreme Pontiff,” Burke said. He encouraged careful attention to the principal responsibilities of the Pope, including appointing bishops and reforming seminaries.

“The hope now is that, with the Holy Year concluded, the Holy Father will be able to devote himself, because people are rightly asking: ‘What direction is he giving?’” the cardinal said. “That direction should be distinct: it will relate to what his predecessors were doing, but reflect a specific direction he considers important.”

Despite challenges, Burke said the consistory was an important beginning. “At least the meeting took place. It was the beginning. Now I think the important thing is to work on the format,” he said. He urged future consistories to allow free discussion, improve organization, and ensure that cardinals’ insights are fully considered, supporting the Pope in guiding the Church with clarity and wisdom.