On the evening of Friday 14 August a new book, Leadership after the Synod, by Dr Charles Burford and Honorary Professor Anne Benjamin, was launched at the Cathedral Hall in Parramatta.
The attractively presented book had been awarded ‘book of the month’ in July by Garratt Publishing.
It follows on from an earlier book, Leadership in a Synodal Church, by Dr Burford and Professor Benjamin, that was published in 2021. The first book laid the foundations for ways the theory and practice of good contemporary leadership can serve our church on its journey of becoming more synodal.
This second book takes the final document from the historic XVI Synod of Bishops that concluded in Rome in October 2024, and uses good leadership theory and practice to show practical ways of bringing synodality alive.
A rich and inspiring launch address was given by Professor Br David Hall FMS. Br David paid tribute to the authors, whom he has known personally and professionally for many years, and unpacked the main synodality themes and the strategic ways in which they are presented in the book.
John Warhurst AO, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at ANU and former Chairman of the influential organisation Concerned Catholics Canberra Goulburn, heartily endorsed Br David’s sentiments.
Giving his blessing to the book and on the authors, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, repeated the need to adopt the principles of synodality across all our Catholic agencies, but especially in the institutional Church, to raise our profile as the transforming presence of Christ in the world. He reminded all of the oft expressed conviction of Pope Francis that “God wants a synodal Church for the third millennium”.
Professor Benjamin is a parishioner of St Anthony’s Parish, at Toongabbie. She was Executive Director of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, from 1997 until late 2005. She was a member of the Writing Group for the Diocesan Synod and a member of the Reference Group for the Diocesan Pastoral Plan. Dr Burford was responsible for the design of the original postgraduate program in educational leadership at ACU. He taught in the program for more than 40 years.
