In a world fractured by wounds of the past, true leadership is born from the courage to forgive, the commitment to rebuild, and the overwhelming responsibility to see those around us rise. On April 7, Rev. Marcel Uwineza, S.J., a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and a graduate of Boston College, will present an in-person 7 p.m. – also available via livestream – on the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Established by the U.N. General Assembly, April 7 is an International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Thirty-one years ago on this day, the Hutu extremist-led government began systematically murdering Tutsi, moderate Hutu, and others who opposed the massacre. More than one million children, women, and men were killed during 100 days of horror.
Fr. Uwineza was a young teen at the time. After surviving the genocide and forgiving those who took his family, he chose not to be bound by hatred but to lead with trust, vulnerability, and accountability. Today, as a university leader, he sows the yeast of leadership — empowering teams, fostering reconciliation, and driving real change. His journey teaches us that healing begins with forgiveness, and true leadership flourishes in community, resilience, and shared purpose.
After hearing Fr. Uwineza speak last year, Rev. Paul Rourke, S.J., vice president of mission and ministry, was inspired to invite him to share his story with the Fairfield community. “I have never heard anyone speak more powerfully and convincingly than Fr. Uwineza on the power of forgiveness and reconciliation,” said Fr. Rourke. “His ability to forgive and be reconciled with the ones who murdered his own family speaks more eloquently than any theological argument could to the truth and redemptive action of the Crucified Christ.”
Rev. Marcel Uwineza, S.J., earned his PhD in systematic theology from Boston College. He also holds an MBA in leadership and management from York St. John University in the United Kingdom. He is currently the president of Hekima University College in Nairobi, Kenya.
In his 2022 book, Risen from the Ashes: Theology as Autobiography, Fr. Uwineza offers personal testimony to the atrocities faced by his family and community. He tells the story of his journey to the Jesuit priesthood and his desire to be an instrument of mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation — acting as “a living bridge between the wounded in Rwanda and those who did the wounding.”
In addition to Risen from the Ashes, Fr. Uwineza is the author of Reinventing Theology in Post-Genocide Rwanda: Challenges and Hopes (2023). A forthcoming book, Healing a Wounded People: A Theology for a Divided World, is scheduled for release later this year.
Presented by 天美传媒视频无限制观看’s Office for Mission & Ministry, this event is free and open to the public, and will take place in the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Center Presentation Room, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. A 6 p.m. reception will precede Fr. Uwineza’s lecture. Space is limited; please register to attend at . Those unable to attend in person can register to join virtually via livestream.
