A recent blog post by Heather King, reprinted on Father Robert Barron’s Word on Fire blog, raises key questions we face during conflict. She focuses on the tension between our desire for spiritual fulfillment and the challenging pilgrimage our faith entails.
The Wolf and Canon Law
October 21, 2011 by | Leave a Comment
In mediation the spirit of the law does not remain an abstract philosophical factor but rather is brought to life by the workings of the Holy Spirit.
Justice for Priests
June 21, 2011 by | 4 Comments
A noisy conflict between Father John Corapi and his Diocese and Religious Order has focused a spotlight on challenges facing the Catholic Church in the wake of the abuse scandals. The conflict highlights a need for improved methods of dispensing justice.
Earning Disrespect
June 13, 2011 by | Leave a Comment
This past week an editorial by Peter Funt of Candid Camera fame in the Wall Street Journal considered our cultural fascination (obsession?) with respect, especially our hair-trigger eagerness to claim we’ve been disrespected and thus injured.
Find the Spring
April 9, 2011 by |
St. Augustine offered wise advice that can help sum up my last few blog posts in which I considered problems arising from deception.
The Spiritual Conversation
December 3, 2010 by |
In Taming the Wolf mediation begins when the mediator asks “what happened?” It begins when parties “tell their story.”
Mental Shortcuts Can Land You in the Ditch
November 30, 2010 by |
During mediation parties brainstorm creative solutions and negotiate a settlement outcome. They collaborate and create the “script” they will follow in the future. Faulty decision making can sabotage the process.
The Satisfaction of an Apology
November 21, 2010 by |
Last week, as I conferred with staff from the Los Angeles Archdiocese during a conference, the topic of apology arose; then, this past week, apology also arose in a discussion on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Facebook page.
Light the Fire
October 19, 2010 by |
Conflict resolution is not appeasement. I find myself repeating this phrase frequently, battling the stereotype that portrays mediators and peacemakers as appeasers who demand we capitulate to the whims of more aggressive or deceptive parties.
Clinging to Victim Status
October 18, 2010 by |
In Taming the Wolf I introduce and discuss common barriers to forgiveness. One barrier is our tendency to cling tenaciously to the role of victim, turning “victim” into an identity we accept and value.