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Indian theologian calls for new women religious paradigm
'We are called to a deeper spirituality, which liberates us from the slavery of our occupation'
Oct. 17, 2009
Assumption Sister Rekha M. Chennattu (photo Tom Fox)
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Speaking before an international gathering of women religious leaders here, Indian theologian, Assumption Sister Rekha M. Chennattu called for a radically new religious paradigm.
Chennattu said the time has come for women religious to leave what she described as a culture of “command and control” and enter one built on “service and friendship.”
Her remarks were delivered at AMOR XV, a gathering which has drawn together women religious leaders from throughout East Asia and Oceania.
Chennattu, who holds advanced degrees in scripture studies from Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and Catholic University of America in Washington, described religious formation as a “never-ending dynamic process.”
“Religious by nature are called to bring about its dynamic permanent renewal,” she said.
“We live in a fast changing world and the only thing that is constant in this world is change. The old style of leadership as ‘command and control’ is outdated and cannot work today.
The friendship model of leadership seems to be the most appropriate and adequate model for religious communities, as we are consecrated to be sisters and friends.”
She based her egalitarian call on the gospel story of Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman, a piece of scripture that has served at the anchoring text for a nine-day meeting at a conference center 30 miles outside of Bangkok.
Said Chennattu: “Matthew portrays the woman as an active dialogue partner who dares to confront Jesus, the newly found Jewish prophet, with counter theological arguments.”
Her point was that women religious today need to be daring and active dialogue partners.
“What does it entail when we say religious women are called to appropriate a new paradigm of religious life? she asked.
Then, before answering her question, she admitted that a move to the new paradigm will likely mean that “inadequate communities may die or merge into newer communities.”
She then listed six calls that women religious today are being asked to respond to:
1. “We are being called out of piety and ritualism into deep communion and communication with God, which results in a vibrant spirituality that is nurtured by the experience of the Paschal mystery in our daily life, made relevant in constant interaction with the challenges of present society and sustained by ongoing renewal (metanoia) in our way of life.
2. “We are being called out of individualism and personal perfection into community living and sharing of our resources and talents. We are called out of our secure and fixed community into an alternative prophetic community bound by love and lived in common mission.
3. “We are being called out of our tendency to be conformist into a profound openness to God’s ways and wholehearted commitment to God’s mission (obedience). We are being called out of our exclusive and alienating love into a liberating and empowering relationship manifested in self-giving service (chastity). We are being called out of our enslaving attachments to things into a radical freedom from accumulating material wealth in the midst of a consumerist world (poverty).
4. “We are being called out of our faithfulness to a set pattern of life into a dynamic process of integral formation.
5. “We are being called out of our secure and safe environments into newer and deeper commitment in favor of God’s choices, witnessing to Jesus’ identification with the poor, his blazing anger at injustice, human rights violations and discrimination against women, and his passion for God’s reign (prophetic mission).
6. “We are being called out of control and domination into an empowering friendship model of leadership and shared responsibilities in religious life.”
Meanwhile, she said that women religious will not be able to respond to these demanding calls unless they “develop a deeper spirituality, one “which liberates us from the slavery of our occupation and preoccupations and enables us to be attuned to the voice that transforms us constantly and makes us anew.”
A deep and authentic spirituality is required if women are to respond to these calls, she said. It is a spirituality that grows out of an authentic prayer life. She added that “regularity in prayers or observance of the rituals should not be confused with the deepening of spirituality.”
“On the one hand, prayer is not merely something that we do in certain formal moments set aside for prayers – saying rosaries or praying with psalms. These are important and necessary means, but should not to be confused with the goal, the spiritual life or spirituality.
On the other hand, the claim that ‘work is prayer’ is also misleading. One needs to spend quality time with oneself in the presence of God to hold the different aspects of consecrated life together.”
This is the most mature
This is the most mature programme for renewal of religious life and for the Church in general that I've heard in a long time.
Agreed
Agreed
Excellent insights into the
Excellent insights into the spiritual adventure of EVERYONE who aspires to follow Jesus and his teachings. Now, we're getting someplace! With these "six calls" we can appreciate how there is neither priest, nor religious sister, nor hierarchy; indeed, we are all the People of God answering the "six calls". Thank you, Sr. Rekha, for getting us started!
Women as prophets, leaders,
Women as prophets, leaders, co-workers for Jesus. Dialoguing and speaking out for justice charity,love, mercy. Doing good works for the church in society. No discrimination against women, no turning away women from ordination or full service in the church. "shared responsibilities in religious life" means having women be all roles and responsibilities in the church including being priests and deacons. "constant interactions with the present society" carrying out the gospel, helping the poor, not self-centred safe "individualism" or "cloistered lives" as only role model for nuns and sisters that ignores the needy, marginalized and the poor by always staying apart, remote from the people of the world.
An amazing profound vision of what women in the church must be is what she has stated! Thank you Sr Rekha M. Chennattu! Women should be ordained too! Sisters and nuns as active hands and heart of Christ too and women do image Jesus Christ. Samaritan woman, Mary Magdala, Canaanite woman, woman of city,
Apostle Junia, all were chosen by Jesus to represent him to the world and were worthy women of God and carry out the persona Christi to the world.
"An amazing profound vision
"An amazing profound vision of what women in the church must be is what she has stated!" Agreed Bob Bernardini, not just for women religious but for you and I and....
AMEN!!!!
AMEN!!!!
The Holy Spirit is alive in
The Holy Spirit is alive in every word of Sister Rekha M. Chennattu’s call for a radically new religious paradigm. It is alive in her six points and in her call for a “deepening spirituality”, expressed through an increasingly authentic prayer life. Her words have a spirit of life that resonates throughout my whole being.
Sister Rekha’s recommendations are appropriate not only for women religious but for all Christians, lay and religious. I will seek to follow her guidelines more faithfully in my own life. Thank you Sister Rekha. Thank You Holy spirit.
Pax,
Bill Eidle
Sister might think she's
Sister might think she's revolutionary, but she just piles on the same verbiage we've been hearing it seems like forever. Does anyone read any kind of fresh language here? A single fresh idea? A single phrase that resonates with any poetry? It seems like schools of theology, even the best, just keep on circulating the same old really really tired pseudo-prophetic abstractions. Academic verbiage at its deadening worst.
"Does anyone read any kind of
"Does anyone read any kind of fresh language here? A single fresh idea? A single phrase that resonates with any poetry?"
Dear Michael: Like f'rinstance?????
Dear Anawim12: In attempting
Dear Anawim12: In attempting to answer your question, I would suggest that the language here is as fresh as the breath of Christ; the freshness of the idea, as frash as the sermon on the mount. Any you are right, not a single phrase "resonates with any poetry", unless of course you consider the message of Christ as "poetry"?
As a priest awaiting my 80th
As a priest awaiting my 80th birthday, Sr. Rikha's welcome, timely and brave call was as surprising as a thunder-clap at midnight.
This is one of the finest
This is one of the finest examples of first rate journalism that has made the NCR one of the most highly respected publications of the recently past and present century. Every word of this article had multiple, significant meaning to me and most likely to many others. The exception being those right wing nuts that live and breathe to destroy new ideas and thinking that lead to dialogue on the most pressing issues facing our institutional Catholic Church. No doubt, they will come out of the woodwork with shallow and "old ways thinking" along with their crude and sometimes violent words of opposition to anything new. I commend the NCR Staff writers for this brilliant and insightful piece of truly excellent journalism. You shine as the brightest star in the skies when you produce articles such as this one!
I agree wholeheartedly. I
I agree wholeheartedly. I think of NCR as one of my primary sources of "real" news. It is a pleasure to welcome into my home both in print and on-line. Please keep it up.
Andy Cordell
Even when it does not sound
Even when it does not sound anything new to those of us here in the west, it does sound challenging and utopian to Asian setting where heirarchical model of administration is prevailing in the religious communities and where religious women live with all safety in their respecitve communities with everything paid for and provided.
Will each one be able to fend for herself when "called out of our secure and fixed community into an alternative prophetic community." Idealism is good, but is it practical in the Asian setting is the real question. She seems to be very naive and is coming out of sheer academic setting where she was protected.
In practice, will the women religous be able to accomplish anything in such places and countries where there is direct threat to their life and safety?
Sister Chennattu speaks out of her experience of the relgious women in the US and other western countries. Even when she says, "out of individualism and personal perfection into community living and sharing of our resources and talents," her model is advocating sheer individualism of the religious in the west. This also calls for individualistic apostolate.
She comes out of pure idealism and hence is very impractical. Community aspect of the religous life will be thwarted by her idealism and experiment. This will pave way for the American model religious life in Asia and elsewhere and will call for another Vatican enquiry and attempt to reclaim and reform relgious life down the road.
'...her model is advocating
'...her model is advocating sheer individualism of the religious in the west. This also calls for individualistic apostolate."
Peter K makes an interesting point. The problem I have with it, as it attempts to negate the validity of Sister's "paradigm", is that Peter sees "individualism" as inimicable to "community"; it posits a traditionalist error that community requires the individual to "abnegate", "mortify", and, yes, "self-negate"(self-denial). The opposite is true; the stronger the individual the more challenging it is to community yes, but the community of strong individuals is the stronger community.
It is wrong to postulate that religious in the west is "sheer individualism". It is incorporating the western notion, the western gift of the "value and power of one" but that very power in community, especially in charity, is
the greater good.
A relationship is only as strong as its weaker or weakest term(s) as an army moves as fast as its slowest member. Empower the members and the community is empowered. The old model of church is based upon the opposite: the shell of the hierarchy is the power, and ascending at that, the rest is fodder.
The words that Christ "emptied Himself, even unto death" do not mean that He "lessened Himself" or denied Himself, quite the opposite. It means that He gathered Himself in the fullness of His (and our) humanity and Godliness and conscious of who and what he was gave it fully and completely
Sir, beyond all idealism, if
Sir, beyond all idealism, if you are at all interested in verifying just how real and practical S. Chennattu's vision is and how it is lived by many individual woman religious in Asia and all over the world, I would be happy to put you in touch with some of these prophets of compassion. These religious share themselves, their talents and their resources with people in some of the most desolate and dangerous environments. They do this with the deep, prayerful and direct support of their religious communities back at "home." I'll check back here for your response.
Go. Keep it simple.
Go. Keep it simple.
These six calls are very
These six calls are very interesting. It sounds fine on it's face value, but here are a few questions that I have.
How are the current religious vocations not, specifically, meeting these 6 calls?
How does one interpret these broad based calls in order to integrate them into practical action?
These sound find and good to me, but I don't think I know enough to see the specific problems faced by women religious, how their vocations are not being realized in their current model, and what specific changes can bring about this new paradigm.
Those are details I'd like to see fleshed out more.
Dear DanMan, a paradigm, a
Dear DanMan, a paradigm, a model is a framework, a skeleton, a vision of what "could be" --- not in its specifics at all. It's somewhat the same as Jesus' proclaiming of the Kingdom. He didn't "flesh out" what he meant. He trusted his followers to do this in fits and starts; in ups and downs; in crises and great times and so on. "Fleshing out" of paradigms and models in a faith-based manner depends on the Holy Spirit. And John,3:8 reminds us the Spirit is like the wind: "The wind blows where it will. You hear the sound it makes, but you don't know where it comes or where it goes. So it is with everyone (maybe we should also say - everything -) who is born of the Spirit." Baptised with the Spirit no one of us can know beyond the next step or two how our life's journey will go. That goes for new paradigms, new models also. The desired destination is known; the first steps seem clear; the rest is faith....
OMG! TO WHOM will Cardinals
OMG! TO WHOM will Cardinals Rode and Levada send the bill to investigate these women religious once they are done bilking the American Catholic Church to investigate our own Sisters?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnd this is
Aaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnd this is why the traditional religious communities who wear habits and have a clear definition and healthy understanding of authority are thriving and building multi-million dollar convents for new recruits, while those who are attempting Sr. Rekha's vision are failing miserably, dying on the vine, and have no effect on catechizing the up and coming generation.
Sorry gang...say what you want, but this vision has been tried and left wanting.
Or.......maybe those
Or.......maybe those communities are thriving because one of the growing pains of our times is that, in such tumultuous times, many are grasping for, and retreating into, simplistic answers. In an increasingly small world, the relativity of some of our formulae for holiness can cause distress and a desire for definitive answers. It's understandable, though hardly a sign of true growth.
Why do you assume that people
Why do you assume that people are retreating into simplistic answers?
This seems to be a rather, well, simplistic argument, yet it is an assertion without proof.
Eric Fromm's book Escape from
Eric Fromm's book Escape from Freedom - an explanation of how Nazi Germany could happen points this out also. flawed closed systems can really be flawed
but the traditionalist orders
but the traditionalist orders growth is certainly measurable compared to the ones which are on the verge of extinction.They are the living dead right now. The liberal ones are passe. It remains to be seen if the traditional ones will go the same way, but at least they have a fighting chance.
J. Basil, your definition of
J. Basil, your definition of "thriving" religious life sounds a lot more like the military industrial complex than any theology of religious life ("healthy sense of obedience" and "multi-million dollar convents"). Perhaps when Sr. Rekha composed her ideas on religious life she was reading the New Testament through the lens of the impoverished reality of her own native India, rather than some book on western capitalism.
And I don't recall reading anywhere that Jesus guaranteed success and large numbers as signs of following his radical new way. Perhaps your fear about dwindling numbers of religious women come from somewhere else?
In 1940's Germany the church
In 1940's Germany the church that upheld the Nazi regime thrived while the confessing church was persecuted at every turn and martyred. I hardly think that doing well economically and getting lots of new recruits is a valid criteria for a particular brand of Christianity. Shouldn't we be looking for Christ as always among the crucified? Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice for they have their fill - with persecution.
Lots of people look for
Lots of people look for safety and piety and structure-but some are willing to enter the desert to discern how God is calling them.
Please don't equate new multi-million dollar convents and habits from the Middle Ages as the only measure of service and love of God. Seems like there's a little somethng in the Gospel concerning outward signs and building up mansions on earth, isn't there?
In its simplicity, it seems
In its simplicity, it seems that Sister Chennattu's message is at the core of what others have explained historically and detailed as having evolved over the Pius XII reforms through Vatican II to the present. This is the "hiving off" from the (God bless them) more traditionalist "service to the hierarchy and stay dependent upon them" cadre of women religious. While the church is blessed with the "cloister" both male and female, this is the other thread that is mission to and within the people of God and the people whom God seeks. This is the thread that is truly the "imitation of Christ" who feeds and heals and visits and clothes and studies and teaches as Christ. This is the model which all are called to imitate and these are the real leaders and mentors. While the old model which will persevere and warrants respect, I cannot, do not want to follow them. Like the Ignatian "contemplative in action" these women are identifiable, are models all women, all christians can respect, be impressed by and indeed join according to their station.
Maybe the "Spirit" really has been calling these women to self-sustaining careers. They will need them as the old model of hierarchy cannot tolerate this revival of apostolic christianity in the community of friendship and faithfulness. Be strong ladies, we the "church" need you! Bend yes, but do not break there is too much at stake here.
Be careful, Sister. Cardinal
Be careful, Sister. Cardinal Rode may decide to visit women religious in Asia after he finishes with the US communities.
FANTASTIC!!!!!
FANTASTIC!!!!!
It seems to me that all that
It seems to me that all that she recommends is being done by the religioius women in our country. She is speaking as one who is not familiar with the American Religious of post Vatican II communities. I hear nothing in her pesentation that is new to us here. But I do commend her for her boldness and concern for all religious women around the world.
Pax. Aristophilos
She is a prophet. I hope
She is a prophet. I hope that the "authorities" don't shut her down. She reminds me of Joan Chittister. Women are strong. The sisters are in a battle with the Catholic Patriarchy. That is a lot of power. The Patriarchy is the "win-lose", "dualistic thinking". While Sister Rekha M. ""Chennattu is speaking from a "win-win" and "holistic" view. Once again, it's the big male power versus the rest of the world.
don't let the man keep you
don't let the man keep you down!!
Perfectly aligned with last
Perfectly aligned with last Sunday's (29 Sunday in Ordinary Time) Gospel.
What Sr. Rehka is echoing is
What Sr. Rehka is echoing is the Gospel message for all who call call themselves Christian. For those who choose religious life and for all laity - each of us are called to live the life of disicples in and through our Baptism. How did we loose our path of simplicity in walking and living as Christ? Far too large of egos and too many rules based ub fear is what first comes to mind (aka individualism). Funny thing about simplicity, ironically it is getting more and more difficult to live simply. Amen Sister Rehka - keep pushing that door open - your words are prophetic. People of God, take heed we have been called back to simplicity. Peace.
Here is what we are called to
Here is what we are called to do:
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world." Matt. 28:19-20
Notice the simplicity of Our Lord's words. He didn't need a lot of verbage to get his message across.
Magnificent
Magnificent
I find it quite striking that
I find it quite striking that the majority of respondents to this article are MEN including me. What sister Rekha has to say will stand or fail as a result of discernment. All the charismatic founders, Bl. Mother Teresa for example, brought their gifts to the Church as a result of God's will and the chord they struck in those who followed them. Let Sister Rekha lead and others follow and let God's will be done - on earth as it is in heaven. Remembering that "unless the Lord build the house they labour in vain." The road to calvary was fraught with difficulties as was the road walked by each founder. Let us not be in any way responsible for placing obstacles in the paths walked by others. Let us rather be a source of support and encouragement for all those who wish to do the will of God.
Sister's call for a new
Sister's call for a new paradigm would have rung bells in 1948. Today, she's just parroting tired, old 1970's feminism.
That the Canaanite woman taught Jesus something that he didn't know is also a tired, 70's feminist cliche. In fact, Jesus used her perfectly reasonable objections to teach the disciples a much needed lesson.
The radical front of religious life in the west is located among the thriving congregations of sisters like the Nashville Dominicans. Where there is life, there is the Spirit.
Fr. Philip, OP
How empty. How self serving.
How empty. How self serving. I pray God floods you all with more grace, that you all may be knocked up side the head with Truth and will gain a will to develope virtue and work to change yourselves, rather than the Lord's House. You brood of vipers! Disperse. Holy Mary, Mother of God pray for us sinners!
+ JMJ Sister has it
+
JMJ
Sister has it backwards. We are to evangelize the world and in that process some justice will come to us here on earth. True justice will come at Judgement Time.
Don't agree Joseph F. or
Don't agree Joseph F. or maybe it is just our definition of evangelixe. We are called to be Christ to and in the world - healing, feeding, teaching. I don't understand this "true justice" bit. Do you really think Jesus wants us to wait till judgement time? The ultimate justice at the end will reflect whether and how well we were Jesus in and to the world, whether we did our best to heal, feed, teach, etc. I agree with Sister's perspective, or as how NCR capsulized your post: "JMJ Sister has it"!.
Interesting to note the
Interesting to note the reactions in the numerous replies. It seems to me they are mainly of two kinds, representing two mindsets. One - conservative, dogmatic, static, pietistic, and using scholastic terminology. The other - progressive, pluralistic, life-centred, scripture-centred, and using existential terminology. Can we be surprised they are not hearing and understanding each other?
Pat B: Quite succinct. The
Pat B: Quite succinct. The only characteristic missing from both sides is that of inclusion and exclusion.
Inclusion would be applied to the progressive wing, and with legitimicy, I feel, for example, including women clergy, married clergy, including gays and lesbians.
Exclusion is applicable to the conservative etc., wing and applies to many items: women clergy,gays and lesbians. But, I think in a more generalist mode, the conservative wing tends to exclude anyone who differs from them.
Yes there are "bigots" in the progressive wing but they tend to thus place themselves over into the "dogmatist" cadre. Do they not?
Pat, I hear two strains as
Pat, I hear two strains as well. One: faithful to tradition, Christ-centered, spiritually extroverted and introverted, and willing to hear differences. The other: worshipful of change for change's sake, Earth-centered, spiritually narcissistic, and dogmatic with demands. The first is firmly rooted in the grand history of the Church. The second is mired in the culture of the 70's. Yea, I see why we have so much trouble.
Fr. Philip, OP
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