Embracing and transforming conflicts to grow in synodality

The Synod on Synodality (2021-2024) has implemented a synodal process that has the  audacious goal of providing an opportunity for the whole people of God to discern  together what steps to take to be a truly synodal and missionary Church, in the three  dimensions of Communion, Participation and Mission.

The challenge is to create a Church of communion, open to all, without verticality and  clericalism. All of us, both lay and consecrated people, are called to contribute to the  realization of this dream, while knowing the inevitable tensions that affect every human  reality.

To grow in synodality and true mutual listening, where everyone’s voice is welcomed and heard, we must take these tensions into account and learn to deal with conflicts. Not to get trapped in them, but to transform them into something “constructive and  transformative.”

As Pope Francis says: “Conflict cannot be ignored or concealed. It has to be faced. But if  we remain trapped in conflict, we lose our perspective, our horizons shrink and reality  itself begins to fall apart. In the midst of conflict, we lose our sense of the profound  unity of reality. When conflict arises, some people simply look at it and go their way as if nothing happened; they wash their hands of it and get on with their lives. Others embrace it in such a way that they become its prisoners; they lose their bearings, project onto institutions their own confusion and dissatisfaction and thus make unity impossible. But there is also a third way, and it is the best way to deal with conflict. It is the willingness to face conflict head on, to resolve it and to make it a link in the chain of a new process. Blessed are the peacemakers!” (Mt 5:9) (Pope Francis, Evangelii gaudium, 226-227)

Embracing the Wisdom of Disruption. Conflict Transformation in Synodal Processes

Fr. Yago Abeledo, M.Afr.

Traditional approaches to conflict often focus on resolution, and management. However, conflict transformation offers a more profound and sustainable approach. It aims not just to end a specific conflict but to create lasting change in the relationships, attitudes, and systems that give rise to conflict. This involves addressing the root causes, such as power imbalances, historical grievances, and systemic injustices, rather than merely managing the symptoms. Our current synodal process represents a pivotal moment of renewal and transformation within the Catholic Church. It calls for a deeper engagement with the voices and experiences of all members of the Church, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative approach to decision-making. The Butterfly Framework, developed by Yago Abeledo, offers a powerful tool for navigating the complexities and challenges that may arise within synodal processes, empowering participants to engage in constructive dialogue and work towards a more vibrant and inclusive Church. Navigating Power, Rank and Privilege.

An Elderful Approach to Synodal Leadership 

Fr. Yago Abeledo, M.Afr.

Arnold Mindell’s definition of rank as “the sum total of one’s privileges” provides a framework for understanding the various advantages and disadvantages that individuals hold within a group or society. Power, the ability to influence or direct, arises from rank. Privileges, often unearned and derived from one’s social identities such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status, can significantly amplify an individual’s power and influence. Within the Catholic Church, these dynamics are particularly nuanced, as they intersect with historical power structures, cultural norms, and theological beliefs. Understanding these nuances is crucial for fostering authentic synodality, where all voices are valued and heard.

Canonical Authority and Governance for Superiors General & Provincials of Religious Institutes

Sr. Sharon Euart, RSM, JCD

By its nature, canon law is a pastoral instrument for ensuring that practical norms flow from knowledge of the Church’s mysteries. The teachings of the Church, especially Vatican II, are the framework for applying the church’s law. Many of the canons in the Code are derived from or inspired by the teachings of the Council. It is only by keeping the ultimate purpose of church law in mind, the law of love, can a proper application of individual norms to that purpose be maintained in a religious institute’s constitutions and proper law. In a spirit of journeying together in reciprocal listening while invoking the Holy Spirit, there are, what we might consider as guard rails or supports, which help keep us focused not only on the norms governing the canonical authority of superiors, but also the values the law intends to uphold, the theological context and canonical resources available for each institute’s unique journey.

What kind of “home” for the vow of obedience?

Sr. Hedvig Deák, OP

Before being an evangelical counsel, obedience is first a virtue. Being a virtue connects obedience with happiness, freedom, and intelligence. First, a virtue is a stable quality which perfects our heart and mind, and disposes to act well. Each virtue presupposes a freedom and leads to the morally good and happy life. Being a virtue implies that obedience also is an instrument of the good life, which instead of limiting, perfects the one who practices it. Obedience presupposes a certain kind of disposition which can be characterized as an openness to the attraction of the true and the good. The virtue of obedience evokes the idea of freedom: obedience is possible only on the condition that there is the real possibility of not to obey. Strictly speaking, the slave or the child does not obey: the necessary requirements for freedom are missing, such as a lack of the use of intellect and the presence of a constraint. Again, if anyone follows the orders of someone enduring the influence of a strong personality this comportment doesn’t merit the name of real obedience: it is not a virtue, but something infra-human.

Fleeting Time, Enduring Joy

Monica Marie Cardona, FMVD

Consecrated Life and the evangelical councils are a very real sign in today’s world of deeply liberated people who look towards eternity. The awareness that our life is like Abel’s and is temporary and passing has made us opt for a way of life that is in many ways counter-cultural and prophetic. It is a way of life akin to a pilgrimage, growing in freedom and detachment with each step taken, open to the unexpected, and filled with love and passion for the final destination – Christ. The challenge of being empowered and yet aware of one’s powerlessness, at the same time, is well reflected by Qoheleth’s philosophy. While everything is fleeting breath (hebel/vanitas), that we cannot hold or possess, there is also a deeper reality that sustains even that which seems transitory. As consecrated women, sensitive to the whisperings of the Spirit and serving a broken humanity inside and outside of the Church, we recognize that our service may often seem as small and insignificant as our breath and the way it vanishes in the air, in the greater scheme of things.

UISG Bulletin 185/2024