VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV launched a two-day gathering of the world’s cardinals on Friday with a firm declaration that war stands in opposition to God’s will, framing the Catholic Church as a voice of peace in a world torn apart by ongoing conflicts.
Leo called the cardinals together for the meeting partly in response to their calls to be consulted more regularly — a contrast to the 12-year papacy of Pope Francis, who tended to lead without frequent input from the church’s top advisors.
Cardinals, who wear distinctive red caps and are often referred to as the “princes of the church,” serve two primary roles: offering counsel to a sitting pope and, upon his death, gathering to choose his successor.
Following an initial gathering in January — formally called a consistory — the American pope brought the cardinals back together for a second round this weekend. The agenda for the private sessions includes a review of the current global situation, discussion of his recent encyclical addressing artificial intelligence, and the church’s ongoing efforts to better hear the concerns of everyday Catholics.
The original agenda had also included the contentious issue of the traditional Latin Mass, a long-standing source of division within the church. However, that topic was removed from the schedule, as the matter is expected to reach a critical point next week when a breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics plans to consecrate four new bishops against Leo’s wishes.
As he opened the session, Leo made a direct appeal for solidarity from the assembled cardinals.
“I need your strong, explicit and public support,” he told them. “I need to feel myself supported by you as brothers.”
Cardinals attending the Rome meetings have been instructed to refrain from speaking with reporters, and only the pope’s opening and closing remarks are being released publicly.
At a Mass that kicked off Friday’s proceedings, Leo spoke about what he described as God’s commitment to upholding human dignity, justice, and the rule of law.
“Therefore, war is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God,” Leo declared. “Because, even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts.”
Throughout Russia’s war in Ukraine and the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, Leo has maintained a steady call for peace — a stance that has at times put him at odds with U.S. President Donald Trump.
