When we resolve conflict, we have to address the needs of all the parties involved. A resolution that doesn’t satisfy most or all of the disputants’ interests is a short-lived one.

Unfortunately, most secular mediators recognize only material, or at least mundane needs. Money, possessions, power, respect–they are all important. They are not, however, the only needs to which humans are subject.

That’s what makes faith-based mediation different. Franciscan peacemakers address all needs, from the material to the spiritual. While the secular world is comfortable ignoring, marginalizing, or even denying the existence of the spiritual realm, Franciscan peacemaking not only recognizes spiritual needs, but puts them at the forefront of its approach to resolving conflict.

Watch the video to hear more about the difference between spiritual and mundane needs, and how Franciscan peacemakers address both.