Conflict in community was an interesting topic of formation at the Major Superiors Colloquium in Rome. Guided by Fr. Giuseppe Crea, a Combonian, the participants reflected on the subject of community conflicts, looking at possible causes, but more importantly, seeking ways to name and address them.
Fr. Crea cited an intervention by Pope Francis who said that two moments are needed in dealing with and seeking solutions to conflicts: the moment of security (to have firm points) and the moment of risk (looking for new and unexplored paths). Fr. Crea invited participants to share ways and styles of conflict resolution, and identify ways and styles that they would like to learn to help communities on the path to conflict resolution. Clearly, the superior’s important role is to help hidden conflicts rise to the surface so that they can be faced and perhaps become a moment for growth. They can also become a way that connects people and communities in a new situation full of hope for the future.
