Abuse of Power Versus Synodality

Abstract

There is plenty of abuse of power today in the Church. It triggers disunity, individualism and power politics and power struggle. Pope Francis, convoking a Synod on Synodality with the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” highlights that synodality is the remedy for power abuse and power struggle. Synodality is not a process that produces documents, but it plants dreams, draws forth prophesies and visions, allows hope to flourish, inspires trust, binds up wounds, weaves together relationships, awakens a dawn of hope, learns from one another and creates bright resourcefulness that will enlighten minds, warm hearts, and give strength to our hands. The above-mentioned purpose is possible for synodality when it recognizes the foundation of an ethics of power against power abuse, captures the purpose of power as the good of the human person, discerns the Power of the Spirit in light of Synodality to do away with all abuses of power, engages fully every person’s ability against the disabilities caused by power-politics, chooses an exercise of authentic human freedom against abuse of power. Thus, synodality is the grace of hope in times of hopelessness caused by abuse of power and it is the need of the hour as the signs of abuses of power are heart-breaking.