Pope Leo XIV's Agenda: Liturgy and Governance at the Forefront

Leo XIV, the Cardinals, and the Question of the Liturgy

Leo XIV’s Christmas Letter to the Sacred College Signals a Liturgical Turn
A January consistory agenda—governance, synodality, and worship—brings the “liturgy question” back to the centre

Reports from Rome indicate that Pope Leo XIV has sent a Christmas letter to the College of Cardinals setting out the agenda for the extraordinary consistory scheduled for 7–8 January 2026. At the heart of that agenda, according to Italian journalist Nico Spuntoni, are three interlocking matters: governance of the universal Church, synodality understood as communion, and the sacred liturgy—explicitly framed as a defining line of contention in contemporary Catholic life.¹

The timing is deliberate. For weeks, the January gathering had been known in outline—an extraordinary consistory, closed-door, with the whole College convoked—yet without a publicly stated theme.² A “Christmas letter” that supplies the agenda therefore functions as more than internal housekeeping. It is a signal that Leo XIV intends, first, to restore the Cardinals to meaningful consultation and, second, to bring the Church’s most disputed practical-theological front—worship—into a forum that is explicitly collegial, not merely curial or bureaucratic.¹

From managerial centralism to collegial deliberation
Spuntoni’s account casts the letter as an effort to recover the College of Cardinals’ original role as principal collaborators in governance—implicitly contrasting this with the late Francis period, marked by reliance on smaller advisory circles and less frequent whole-College deliberation.¹ That diagnosis has been echoed in broader reporting around the convocation itself: the consistory was widely understood as Leo’s response to pre-conclave complaints that the College had been under-utilised and often bypassed in decisive reforms.³

This is not merely a question of style. In ecclesial terms it concerns the instruments through which papal governance is exercised: the Pope’s relationship to the Roman Curia, to episcopal conferences, and to the College of Cardinals itself. Multiple outlets reporting on the consistory’s convocation framed it as a vehicle for the Pope to consult personally and hear views on “major Church matters” not otherwise specified.² The Christmas letter, as reported, now defines those matters with clarity.

Assigned texts: Evangelii gaudium and Praedicate evangelium
The reported “homework” in the letter is revealing. Cardinals are asked to reread Evangelii gaudium and Praedicate evangelium.¹ Whatever one’s assessment of those documents, their selection sharply delimits the field of discussion.

Evangelii gaudium articulates a programmatic vision of the Church’s self-understanding and mission, while Praedicate evangelium provides the juridical architecture of curial reform and the distribution of authority.⁴ If Spuntoni’s account is accurate, Leo XIV is inviting the College to re-engage a question many believed had been settled too quickly or too administratively: how the Church is governed, and how power is exercised, in a manner that is theologically coherent as well as pastorally effective.¹

The contrast with 2022 is difficult to avoid. Praedicate evangelium entered into force before the extraordinary meeting of Cardinals that discussed it, thereby limiting the scope for genuine deliberation.¹ By placing the text back on the table in advance of a major gathering, the Pope appears to be signalling an end to after-the-fact consultation.

Synodality as communion: a boundary, not a slogan
Synodality is also reported to feature explicitly in the agenda, but with a clear qualification. For Leo XIV, its ultimate end is communion.¹ This is more than a rhetorical adjustment. It establishes a boundary condition: synodal processes are ordered toward unity in faith and governance, rather than functioning as an open-ended mechanism for perpetual restructuring or negotiated doctrinal ambiguity.

Even mainstream reporting on the consistory’s convocation emphasised the Pope’s desire to hear the Cardinals directly after a period in which many felt unheard.³ A synodality ordered to communion aligns with that instinct—consultation as a means of restoring unity and clarity, not as a substitute for teaching authority or juridical decision.

Why the liturgy sits at the centre of the January agenda
The most consequential element of the reported letter is the explicit inclusion of the liturgical question. Spuntoni situates this within the post-Traditionis custodes landscape, describing the liturgy as the principal battleground between divergent ecclesial sensibilities. He suggests that the January consistory may provide the first opportunity for the Cardinals, as a body, to engage one another on how the Church should respond to faithful who accept the Second Vatican Council while seeking continued access to the older Roman Rite.¹

This emphasis takes on added significance in light of developments already visible in Leo XIV’s pontificate. In November, several reports indicated that Rome was considering a broader and more stable dispensation regime rather than a formal revocation of Traditionis custodes.⁵ Similar themes appeared in reporting citing nuncios and curial officials: no overt reversal, but a markedly more generous posture in practice.⁶

Symbolic gestures have reinforced this perception. The widely reported celebration of a traditional Latin Mass by Cardinal Raymond Burke at the Altar of the Chair in St Peter’s Basilica, with papal permission, was interpreted by many as evidence of a changed atmosphere—less punitive, more conciliatory—irrespective of the formal legal framework still in place.⁷

Traditionalist readings and expectations
Traditionalist and tradition-friendly commentary has largely interpreted the Christmas-letter report as a potential hinge moment. Rorate Caeli highlighted Spuntoni’s claim that the liturgical question would sit at the heart of the consistory’s deliberations.⁸ Other commentators, writing from a more conservative institutional perspective, have argued that Leo XIV has strong incentives to de-escalate the liturgy conflict without creating the impression of repudiating his predecessor, since the manner of doing so will itself be read as a statement about continuity and authority.⁹

Across this spectrum of commentary, the central concern is not whether more celebrations of the older rite will be tolerated as a managerial concession, but whether the liturgy will be treated as a theological inheritance governed by principles of continuity and immemorial custom rather than administrative preference.

If the Pope genuinely intends to restore the Cardinals as collaborators, the liturgical question cannot remain confined to episcopal discretion and dicasterial enforcement. It must be addressed where ecclesiology and governance converge: in the relationship between Pope, bishops, and the Church’s received worship. That is precisely the purpose of an extraordinary consistory, convened for “more grave affairs” requiring counsel.¹⁰

Whether the January meeting yields juridical reform or only pastoral recalibration remains uncertain. What the reported agenda suggests, however, is a willingness to locate the liturgy question where it belongs—at the intersection of authority, communion, and the Church’s sacramental life—rather than treating it as a problem to be managed at the margins.¹ ⁵ ⁶

¹ Nico Spuntoni, “Svolta Leone: chiede aiuto ai cardinali,” Il Giornale, 16 December 2025; excerpts reported and translated by Diane Montagna, “Sacred Liturgy to Feature Prominently at Pope Leo XIV’s Meeting with Cardinals,” 16 December 2025.
² “Pope Leo XIV plans to hold major meeting of cardinals in January,” Catholic News Agency, 7 November 2025.
³ Edward Pentin, reporting on the planned extraordinary consistory and its background, including pre-conclave concerns about consultation, Zenit, 10 November 2025; see also related reporting in America.
⁴ Pope Francis, Evangelii gaudium (2013); Pope Francis, Praedicate evangelium (2022).
⁵ Andrew Likoudis, “After Traditionis custodes: Archbishop Cordileone and liturgical renewal,” Where Peter Is, 17 November 2025.
⁶ USCCB/CNS, “Nuncio in Britain says pope won’t overturn restrictions on old Latin Mass,” 14 November 2025; see also analysis in The Pillar.
⁷ Associated Press, “American cardinal celebrates old Latin Mass in St. Peter’s in a sign of change,” 25 October 2025.
⁸ Rorate Caeli, “Italian Daily Il Giornale: Liturgical question at the heart of the Consistory of Cardinals called by the Pope for early January,” 16 December 2025.
⁹ “Pope Leo and Traditionis custodes,” First Things, 17 July 2025.
¹⁰ Code of Canon Law (1983), canon 353 §2.

Reformed in Their Name — But Who Asked the Faithful?

August 31, 2026

STOP FUNDING THE DEMOLITION: The Traditional Catholic Faith Is Not an Accommodation: It Must Be Proclaimed, Lived and Handed On

August 30, 2026

When “Catholic” Ceases to Qualify: Leo XIV, Freemasonry and the First Jewish President of the Catholic Biblical Association

August 18, 2026

By Their Fruits: ✠Mutsaerts Puts Synodality to the Test

LATEST ARTICLES

Today’s homily: St Pius X, Pope
The text reflects on the life and legacy of Pope St Pius X, who was chosen from humble beginnings to reform the Church. His pontificate focused on defending the Catholic Faith, restoring liturgical sanctity, and fostering deeper connections between believers and Christ. Pius X exemplified a balance of truth and pastoral charity.
Today’s Mass: September 03 Pope St Pius X,
Pope St Pius X, born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was a significant reformer who emphasised preserving the Catholic Faith against Modernism. His pontificate (1903-1914) featured reforms in liturgy, frequent Holy Communion, and seminaries, rooted in a pastoral desire to restore everything in Christ. He died in 1914 and was canonised in 1954.
Today’s homily: St Stephen of Hungary
The homily reflects on the life of Saint Stephen of Hungary, illustrating his transition from a powerful ruler to a saint. He embraced the responsibilities of kingship guided by faith, understanding his authority as stewardship. His legacy teaches that true governance comes with surrender to God, ultimately placing his kingdom under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Today’s Mass: September 02 St. Stephen the Great
St. Stephen the Great, King of Hungary (977-1038), was a significant Christian ruler who reinforced the faith throughout Hungary. Anointed king in 1000 by Pope Sylvester II, he fought against paganism and promoted the Church. He was canonised in 1083 and is the patron saint of Hungary, symbolising national identity.
QUAERITE PRIMUM REGNUM DEI – Seek First the Kingdom: Spiritual Conference for Nuntiatoria CXXI
A spiritual conference, “Seek First the Kingdom,” emphasises prioritising God’s reign within individuals over earthly concerns. It explores the necessity of internalising Christ’s teachings, the importance of discernment, and the critical evaluation of the faith in relation to contemporary issues. A genuine Catholic life centres on Christ, fostering holiness and transformation.