Peacebuilding Work
December 17, 2019. With Katharina Westerhorstmann, Franciscan University. Won Church Sexual Abuse Crisis Research Grant, University of Notre Dame. "What Promise do National Truth and Reconciliation Processes Offer for the Catholic Church’s Response to the Sexual Abuse Crisis?”
July 17, 2015. “Presentation of Report,” Launch of Report, Forgiveness: Unveiling an Asset for Peacebuilding, Gulu, Uganda.
July 14, 2015. “Forgiveness: The Key to Unlocking Transitional Justice?” Keynote Address at the 5th Institute for African Transitional Justice.
July 13, 2015. “Presentation of Report,” Launch of Report, Forgiveness: Unveiling an Asset for Peacebuilding, Kampala, Uganda.
July 10, 2015. Led Workshop for the Pastoral and Justice Coordinators of the Reconciliation Program of the Catholic Church of Uganda, Kampala, Uganda.
July 9, 2015. Led Workshop on Reconciliation for Uganda Catholic Secretariat Management and Staff, Kampala, Uganda.
November 13-14, 2014. Panelist for Panel on “Facilitating Love and Forgiveness in Post Conflict Situations: Case Study Uganda.” Presented at a conference on “Love and Forgiveness in Governance: Learning From Experience,” Washington, D.C.
July 9-10, 2014. Conducted Two-Day Workshop to train twenty researchers to conduct a nationwide survey in Uganda involving over 600 respondents. Met with Ugandan Bishops Conference. Kampala, Uganda.
March 10-15, 2014. Conducted Focus Groups, Exemplar Interviews and a Two-Day Training Workshop on Research on Forgiveness as part of the “Forgiveness and Peacebuilding in Uganda” project. Kampala and Gulu, Uganda.
November 8-9, 2013. Led a two-day workshop on “Reconciliation in Uganda in Light of Africae Munus” in collaboration with the Uganda Catholic Secretariat (Justice and Peace Department) for 66 church leaders, including bishops, diocesan justice and peace coordinators and diocesan pastoral coordinators. Worked in partnership with John Katunga of Catholic Relief Services. Workshop supported by Catholic Relief Services and the CPN. Kampala, Uganda.
July 2013. Received approval and funding from Fetzer Institute for Project on “Forgiveness and Peacebuilding in Uganda,” $117,900.
June 10-14, 2013. Taught a four-day course on peacebuilding and reconciliation at the Cardinal Martino Panafrican Institute for Catholic Social Thought in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo to 48 participants from Justice and Peace Commissions in the Catholic Church across DR Congo. Represented the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and the CPN.
June 5-7, 2013. Organized and led conference on “Peace From the Ground Up: Post-Conflict Socialization, Religion, and Reconciliation in Africa,” Monkey Valley Conference Center, Capetown South Africa. Involved 29 participants from Africa and overseas. Conference was sponsored by the Program on Religion and Reconciliation at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and supported by the CPN and the Templeton Foundation.
March 9-17, 2013. Traveled to Uganda to plan proposal on forgiveness research to the Fetzer Institute with the Refugee Law Project in Kampala and the Justice and Reconciliation Project in Gulu, Uganda. Also met with Uganda Bishops Conference in Kampala, Uganda.
June 18-23, 2012. Presented a workshop on teaching peace studies in Catholic higher education to the General Assembly of the Association of Catholic Universities and Higher Institutes of Africa and Madagascar along with Rev. William R. Headley, CSSp and Professor Laurie Johnston of Emmanuel College. Took place in the Caritas Center, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Also met with a variety of other parties engaged in the work of peacebuilding in Congo. Represented the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and the CPN.
November 11-12, 2011. Co-organized International Symposium on “Restorative Justice, Reconciliation, and Peacebuilding,” New York University Law School, with Jennifer Llewellyn, Dalhousie University Law School.
November 10, 2011. Co-organized panel discussion on “Paradigms for Peacebuilding: The Need For New Thinking,” New York Law School with Jennifer Llewellyn, Dalhousie University Law School.
October 17-22, 2011. Led a workshop on political reconciliation in light of Catholic Social Thought at the Cardinal Martino Panafrican Institute for Catholic Social Thought in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Approximately 21 participants attended. Represented the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and the CPN.
August 2011. Awarded planning funds of $13,250 from the Fetzer Institute for research on forgiveness in Uganda.
October 19-21, 2010. Attended Conference of the Catholic Episcopate of the Great Lakes Region for Peace and Reconciliation. In attendance were Catholic leaders from six national bishops conferences and two regional bishops conferences. Presented “A Political Ethic of Reconciliation” at a panel on reconciliation. Conference co-sponsored by the CPN.
September 16-18, 2010. Co-organized workshop on “Restorative Justice, Reconciliation, and Peacebuilding,” held at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame with Jennifer Llewellyn, Dalhousie University Law School.
March 10-12, 2009. Led a workshop on political reconciliation for 19 leaders in the Catholic Church in Burundi in Bujumbura, Burundi, including the Archbishop of Burundi, Evariste Ngoyagoye, as well as Bishop Joachim Ntahondereye. Represented the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic Peacebuilding Network (CPN).
June 24-29, 2007. Attended Catholic Peacebuilding Conference in Bogota, Colombia. Took part in site visit to Medellin.
March 26-April 3, 2006. Traveled to Kashmir with Steven Harsono, Wheaton College, to explore the possibility of conducting a civil society forum in Baramullah, Kashmir. Also traveled to Jammu and New Delhi to meet with members of the reconciliation core group and to conduct track-two diplomacy. Worked as Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
July 11-15, 2005. Attended Catholic Peacebuilding Conference in Mindanao, Philippines. Took part in site visit to a “zone of peace” in the village of Bual.
July 14-29, 2004. Traveled with Brian Cox to develop the work of faith-based reconciliation in Kashmir. Met with numerous political, religious, and civil society leaders in New Delhi, Srinagar, Jammu, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and London. Worked as Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
March 2-13, 2004. Co-led with Brian Cox a three-and-a-half day seminar on faith-based reconciliation for 70 civil society members in Islamabad, Pakistan. Continued to New Delhi for track-two diplomacy with religious, political, and academic leaders and building of reconciliation core group. Worked as Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
May 23-June 10, 2003. Co-led with Brian Cox a three-and-a-half day seminar on faith-based reconciliation for 54 civil society members in Gulmarg, Kashmir. In addition, visited Hindu Pandit camps, conducted core group training, and conducted track-two diplomacy. Worked as Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
January 3-13, 2003. Co-led with Brian Cox a three-and-a-half day seminar on faith based reconciliation for 85 civil society members in Jammu, Kashmir. In addition, visited Hindu Pandit camps for internally displaced people and conducted track-two diplomacy in New Delhi. Worked as Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
October 17-27, 2002. Traveled to Kashmir with Brian Cox to participate in a civil society meeting in Srinagar, train reconciliation core group in Srinagar, establish relationships in the city of Leh in the region of Ladakh, and conduct track two diplomacy in Srinagar, Ladakh, and New Delhi. Worked as a Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
March 7-16, 2002. Co-led with Brian Cox a three-and-a-half day seminar on faith based reconciliation for 85 civil society members in Jammu, Kashmir. In addition, met with and helped to build and train reconciliation core group, met with Hindu Pandit leader, and met with government officials and civil society people concerned with Kashmir in New Delhi. Worked as a Senior Associate of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
September 19-30, 2000. Traveled to Kashmir with Brian Cox, Senior Vice President for Dispute Resolution and Training, International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, to explore the feasibility of conducting faith-based reconciliation in Kashmir. Visited political, religious, academic, and civil society leaders in New Delhi and Srinagar. Then traveled to Gojra, Pakistan, and co-led a seminar on faith-based reconciliation for the Christian community there.