A conversation titled “Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation” with Fr. Patrick Devine was held in St. Augustine’s CCC room on March 13 from 10:30 to 12:00 p.m. The Institute of International Communication, University Campus Ministry and the Vincentian Center for Church and Society organized the event. About 30 people attended in person, and additional University members joined via Webex.
Campus Ministry provided refreshments for attendees.
The Shalom Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (SCCRR) aims to “work for a society free of physical violence and unjust social structures in Africa, building peaceful and reconciled communities.” The nonprofit organization works within the horn of Africa, which includes countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and its headquarters in Kenya.
“There are African conflict environments where people are killed, maimed and displaced persistently,” Devine said. “It’s extremely difficult for social and religious values like peace, truth, justice and mercy to take root” because institutions become destroyed.
Violence unfolds in the region for several reasons, including interethnic conflict, colonialism and religious extremism.
He explained that such violence is not a situation that exists in Africa because of its people or society. He provided the hypothetical example of the New York Police Department, the city’s primary security institution, were to be shut down. He explained that just like in Africa, New Yorkers would most likely take their security in their own hands.
Due to the downfall of institutions within conflict zones, local populations lose their resources resulting in “people struggling to actualize their potential.”
He explained that working with a nonprofit organization means being sensitive. “Conflict has a memory that’s resilient, robust and anchored in culture and it’s also transgenerational,” Devine said. “So it’s not a thing that you can switch on and switch off.”
Since a significant portion of attendees were journalism students, Devine made a point to discuss the media’s involvement within conflict zones.
He emphasized that journalism plays a crucial role, but when it’s objective.
“Are you delivering the truth or the facts? If you are not dealing with truth and the facts, you are dealing with division and conflict, and you are creating a problem.”
Devine explained that sustaining a successful nonprofit requires hiring highly qualified and committed individuals. Most roles at SCCRR require a master’s degree in their field, and employees must be willing to work in conflict zones.
To conclude the discussion, Devine took questions from the audience, which were facilitated by the director of the journalism program, Michael Rizzo.
Rizzo kicked off the Q&A session with his own question. “You used the words ‘people in this room have a huge role to play when it comes to conflict resolution’ what needs to be done on a practical level here [the United States] that you seek for your work in Africa?”
“One thing I have found is that an awful lot of students are getting qualified without having practical experience in conflict environments and I think you need that,” Devine said.
He invited students at St. John’s to visit Africa to get that practical experience if they seek to pursue a similar line of work.
Journalism student Laura Cerdà asked “What role do you consider the church has as a nonstate actor in the international community?”
“I think the church always has the nature of the message that we are asked to claim around the values of human rights, peace and respect for the dignity of life,” Devine said. “We can never stop doing that and we’ve had a huge influence in the development of education around the world.”
