Rekha M. Chennattu, R.A.
6 May 2022

Extract from his remarks during the 46th General Chapter.

Some Practical Implications and Challenges based on Personal Experiences

1. The Johannine covenant-friendship model of leadership promotes both greater participation and shared responsibility and it is in conformity with the spirituality of synodality. In the words of Pope Francis: “The journey of synodality is the journey that God wants from his Church in the third millennium. … it is to walk together, to be together on the way of faith and that concerns everybody. … but it does not take away the difference of function and ministry and roles.”14 In the context of our congregations, synodality includes all the professed members of the congregation taking responsibility for its life and mission for our times.

2. The covenant-friendship model of animation is not hierarchical, but reciprocal. It does not mean that all will have the same role to play in the community. On the contrary, it implies respect and acceptance of each one as different and each one’s role as unique in the community. We understand equality here not as uniformity, but as equity, which by nature promotes diversity and plurality. Very often we forget this reciprocal or “one another” aspect and collective responsibility. It is a reciprocal animation in which each one has something to hear, something to offer, something to learn and something to achieve, always in favour of what is discerned as the choices of God. This model tries to take into consideration both individual talents and interests as well as our common charism and mission.

3. Johannine leadership is possible only when we (both leaders and followers) have achieved inner freedom. It can work only when we are mature, free, secure and balanced persons. Inner freedom refers to freedom from within which no one else can give or destroy. It is an inner disposition – the way we see and interpret things, and the way we relate with one another and the way we respond to different situations, both simple and complex. Self-awareness and mindfulness are the keys to this interior freedom. God’s grace is always there, but we need to remain open to receive it.

Listen to the full conference on Spotify:

Read the full conference here: Rekha Chennattu – Towards a Synodal Model of Leadership_EN