Sherly Sebastian, delle suore della Congregazione del Sacro Cuore,

                                   Religious Authority and Obedience:
                       A Theological-Juridical Study with Special Reference
            to the Sacred Heart Congregation of the Syro-Malabar Church.

Direttore: Mons. Dimitri Salachas

         
         Obedience to an authority conferred by the Church is ecclesial in character, and to that fact owes its spiritual, apostolic and juridical character. Obedience sustains the life-giving relationships that are particular to religious life. At the level of religious faith, religious bond their life with God's life through obedience, seeking God's will and Kingdom through their community and the Church. In this sense, obedience is fundamentally surrender. However, the modem focus of obedience is not loss of freedom or turning one's will over to another, even though obedience practically involves a type of surrender of free choice. Superiors of religious institutes possess God-given authority through the ministry of the Church in order to fulfìl their office of governing the members of the institute for the good of the institute and the Church. While they listen to their members and foster cooperation among them, the superior alone decides and prescribes what must be done. Superiors whether major or local, are called to use their authority, not in an authoritarian manner, but in a spirit of service. They must act with respect for the human dignity of their subjects, consulting with them, and fostering their cooperation rather than coercing them. The scope of the dissertation is to study the religious authority and obedience in the light of CCEO taking into consideration the special background of the post-conciliar religious life, the new trends and tendencies today and also the way in which the CCEO normative is relevant for the ius particolare of the Sacred Heart Congregation of the Syro-Malabar Church (SHC). The work comprises four chapters and the method used in these chapters are historical, juridical, theological and analytical. The fìrst chapter discusses the theological, historical as well as canonical concepts with regard to the religious authority. In the second chapter, we examine the documents of Vatican II and those after Vatican Council which revitalized the Church's concepts of religious life and showing great advancement in the process of ecclesiastical articulation of the notions of authority and obedience in religious institutes. The third chapter focuses on the different canons that are applicable to monks and other religious, specifìcally, religious in orders and congregations, while integrating basic norms on the functions and exercise of authority by the superiors according to CCEO. The forth chapter aims at the implementation of authority and obedience in the particular law of the SHC. We carefully examine and review the Constitution and Directory of the SHC with special reference to its purpose and nature along with its general administration and governance in accordance with CCEO. Finally, we make certain concrete suggestions with regard to the Constitution and Directory for their suitable adaptation and renewal. By way of conclusion, we can say that the exercise of authority will be effective if only exercised as a service to God and to brethren. The obedience of religious has true value if proceeds from faith and love. The commanding subject and the obeying subject should not seek what is their personal good, but instead in every way, seek what is Christ's and the Church's good. In this way authority and obedience unite to fulfil God's will. This will make both authority and obedience instruments of salvation.