The Vatican has Provided No Answers Regarding Who's Calling the Shots and Changing Everything, Making the Consistory Much Less Collaborative, Transparent and Efficient than the Previous Venue and Procedure of Consistories of Cardinals --Diana Montagna
In Pope Leo's first extraordinary consistory there was a last minute unexplained change from the general discussion format in the New Synod Hall of previous extraordinary consistories to a format of strictly guided table group discussions in the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall, along with very limited opportunities for individual cardinals to address the whole gathering, was a significant shift in the consultative relations between the Pope and the College of Cardinals.
Why the traditional format of Pope Leo’s first consistory was replaced at the last minute—and by whom—remains unclear, but the shift is significant.
The new arrangement brings in external controls on the freedom of each cardinal to speak and to be heard and creates a new level of bureaucratic management of communication between the cardinals and the Pope. Whatever the goal of this synodal style, it has the effect of significantly reducing the opportunity for open general discussion and limits the number of cardinals who can be heard.
Earlier this week it was reported that Cardinal Re has written to the Cardinals informing them that the next extraordinary consistory will be held on June 26-27, beginning at 9:00 a.m. This is one day earlier than previously anticipated and allows for two full days of sessions without extending into Sunday.
The format has yet to be decided. The Cardinal added that further details would be communicated as they become available.
Given the nature of an extraordinary consistory as articulated in the Code of Canon Law, its format ought to enable the Pope to listen to the Cardinals unfiltered.
Whether that principle will, in fact, be borne out in practice remains to be seen.
