The news that Leo XIV will convene a consistory for Jan.  7-8 has not yet been made official by the Holy See Press Office. Since the Register broke the news, however, numerous confirmations have emerged — some from cardinals themselves — and the circular letter sent to all the cardinals has made the rounds. 

This consistory will not be for the creation of new cardinals, as is commonly the case. There are already a dozen more voting-age cardinals than the law strictly allows. The number of voting-age cardinals will not dip below the legal limit of 120 until the end of 2026. 

The Jan. 7-8 consistory will be for discussing matters of importance to the whole Church — discussion the likes of which has not occurred in recent years. 

Pope Francis convened one in 2014, when Cardinal Walter Kasper gave his address on the family, which sparked considerable debate. Then, there was another in 2015, featuring various sessions on reforming the Curia; and then, in 2022, to discuss the already promulgated reform of the Curia. 

Pope Francis’ last extraordinary consistory — the first in seven years — left everyone somewhat disappointed.  The cardinals were divided into linguistic groups; there was no room for extended interventions in a full session, and many were left with the impression that the collegiality — or synodality — of which the Pope spoke was not truly being applied. 

Leo XIV is returning to older ways of doing things. 

Benedict XVI always preceded a consistory for the creation of new cardinals with a meeting of the entire College of Cardinals. John Paul II convened the cardinals on several occasions to discuss reforms and joint decisions. Paul VI even liked to meet with the cardinals residing in Rome immediately after each papal trip, upon his return, almost before even setting foot in the apartment in the Apostolic Palace. 

It remains to be seen what model Leo XIV will follow, but the convocation of a consistory on Jan. 7 is a telling sign. 

First of all, Jan. 7 is the first day after the end of the 2025 Jubilee. 

Leo XIV made the deliberate decision to let everything slide during the Jubilee and to close all the dossiers opened by Pope Francis. 

The publication of the exhortation Dilexi Te, the document of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) on Marian titles, the upcoming publication of a document on monogamy prepared by the DDF during Pope Francis’ time, and even the upcoming trip to Turkey and Lebanon are issues left pending by Leo XIV’s predecessor. 

Some of Pope Francis’ decisions will remain in place next year; for example, a trip to Africa that is currently being prepared, which Pope Francis dreamed of taking during the Jubilee Year. And yet, the end of the Jubilee will also physically mark the end of Francis’ legacy. Leo XIV has taken his time to consider the matter, and now he will likely lay his cards on the table. 

What could happen at the consistory on Jan. 7-8? 

Presumably, the Pope will want to listen. He always does. Apostolic nuncios say he always wants to hear from them first about the situation in the country where they serve. 

But then, Leo could also define his “governing team.” He could present a draft of what should become his first encyclical; the impact of Pope Francis’ “trial season,” encompassing several high-profile and controversial prosecutions; the credibility of the Church; and the necessary reforms to adjust the Curia. 

Whatever happens, this will be a fundamental turning point. From Leo’s words, from the way he conducts the consistory, we can understand how the Pope’s pontificate will unfold. 

We have already seen some of the characteristics. Last week, Leo appointed Augustinian Edward Danian Daleng as vice-regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household. This is a position that does not exist in the organizational chart — at most, there could be a regent adjunct — but it demonstrates the Pope’s desire to restore centrality to the institution. 

The vice-regent will work alongside the regent, Msgr. Leonardo Sapienza, who has governed the prefecture in recent years. Pope Francis, in fact, never appointed a successor to Archbishop Georg Gänswein as prefect. Leo XIV may appoint one, and Archbishop Peter Rajic, the current nuncio to Italy, is reportedly being considered for the post. 

The appointment of a vice-regent demonstrates the Pope’s continued policy of appointing young people and trusted friends to key positions. They are often Augustinians, but not necessarily — for example, his two personal secretaries are not Augustinians; however, they are proven, trusted 30-year-olds. 

At high levels, however, the Pope wants to reinstate a precise hierarchy. 

The Prefecture of the Papal Household will be a central body. It remains to be seen how the Holy Father will refocus the Secretariat of State, and we can expect some changes at the top after the consistory. Currently, the state office is lacking two crucial positions that are essential to its smooth operation: the assessor and the undersecretary for relations with states. The assessor is the more critical appointment, as he assists the deputy in managing the Secretariat of State. 

But it remains to be seen whether the Pope will decide to make an even more substantial change to the Secretariat of State, appointing new superiors for the assessor and the undersecretary. This will also be evident after the Jubilee. 

Meanwhile, Leo XIV is continuing to “fix” institutional gaps. 

Following the rescript that once again allows Vatican entities to invest in outside banks, the Pope established a coordinating body on Nov. 13 for the Apostleship of the Sea, known as Stella Maris. With the reform of the Curia, the Apostleship of the Sea had been marginalized by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which had assumed its responsibilities but had not created a structure to carry them out. 

Now, the structure is being made, although it will need further steps to be effective. It is part of a broader adjustment to Pope Francis’ unfinished reforms. 

Perhaps we are only approaching the beginning of a pontificate, or at least of the new papal government. The Pope appears determined to establish a robust institution and organization, without jettisoning more than is necessary of the things that defined Francis’ papacy. 

It will take a great deal of balance for this effort to bear fruit.