The Rev. Harold Good, S.J., gave a lecture in the Harper Center Ballroom last week about the unfinished journey to bring peace to an Ireland that has been fraught with political violence and conflict. Introducing him to the audience was Law professor and director of the Werner Institute, Arthur Pearlstein and the director of the St. Augustine Indian Mission, the Rev. Dave Korth, S.J.
“The purpose of the Werner Institute is to teach and promote in conflict resolution,” Pearlstein said.
One of the main goals of the Werner Institute is to help students learn about how difficult really making peace can be. Pearlstein said that the Good was a great example of someone who was truly seeking peace for Ireland.
“One of the most important elements in my work is the process of healing,” Korth said.
Korth also said that the mission likes to associate itself with respectable organizations such as Creighton University, the Werner Institute and people like Good. While Korth was a chaplain on a cruise ship there was a gentleman that stood out to him and that man was Good. After having a conversation over coffee and prepping for a healing service Korth discovered that his emphasis on healing was also at the heart of Good’s mission of peace.
Good began his lecture by talking about the importance of the journey to peace and what it means to him.
“I love journeys and travel,” Good said. “I especially love the journeys in the Bible because they had no idea where they were going to end up.”
For Good, his mission goes deeper than reaching out to the people of Ireland and helping them resolve their conflicts.
“A lot of people ask me why I get involved in all this,” Good said. “My answer is always because I would like to be a part of giving my children the gift of peace. I can think of nothing more precious to leave the world.”
Good said that the story and conflict of Ireland is a long one. Ireland is a story about two groups of people vying for one island; the settlers versus the natives. It is a story about a land of saints and scholars versus conflict, murder and mayhem.
“We’re all settler people because we all came from somewhere,” Good said.
Through all the violence and counter violence that has taken place in Ireland 40,000 people were treated for trauma and 100,000 households were affected either directly or indirectly. As a result, the whole of Ireland eventually had to accept two realities. The first reality was that violence could not achieve their political goals and the second, was that there was no military solution.
“You only make peace when you talk to your enemies, not your friends,” Good said.
Good said Sen. George Mitchell got all the parties except for one to sit around the table to talk and make a decision to fix their predicament. Eventually they came up with a document called “The Agreement,” which outlined all the things each party could agree upon. According to Good, these consisted of: legitimacy of aspiration, principle of consent, commitment to exclusively peaceful means, elected assembly with all party executive (cabinet), equality, human rights, victims and survivors, and the early release of prisoners.
“’The Agreement’ was sent to every home in Ireland,” Good said. “The most important part of ‘The Agreement’ was that it emphasized that it was the people’s decision. The people must own it, otherwise it would fail.”
Good said that 90 percent of the people said yes to “The Agreement.”
“This is an unfinished journey because we’ve talked about the past, but to complete the journey we need confession, grace and forgiveness,” Good said. “It is about giving all parties in the conflict an opportunity for a new beginning whether you think they deserve it or not; and without forgiveness we will keep on fighting.”