I wonder what’s up?
When he announced the March 24 consistory, at his regular weekly public audience on February 22, the Holy Father mentioned that he would convene the cardinals for a day of ‘reflection and prayer’ on the preceding day. The Pope’s call for that meeting followed shortly after a February 13 session with the leaders of the Roman Curia.
During a private meeting with the world’s cardinals, the Pope can seek opinions on particular proposals, and ask for open discussion of pastoral issues, using the prelates as a sounding board for his ideas. At the meeting on March 23, Pope Benedict might, for instance, call for reaction to his plans for a reorganization of the Roman Curia, or for some new pastoral initiative.
We can be assured this is nothing idle. What it is, I can hardly speculate.
It’s rare to call the cardinals to Rome just for show.