Forgiven but Not Forgotten

“Examining the conflicts that have divided and even killed millions of people—in Nazi Germany, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Guatemala, El Salvador, and China—Mong shows that ‘there can be no peace without justice and no justice without forgiveness.’ . . . The past is not past; it must be remembered, not as it was, but as a promise of and power for a transformed future.”


—Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University





“Inspired by the civil and human rights unrest in his home of Hong Kong, and realizing the eventual need for true reconciliation there, Ambrose Mong has written this thoughtful and often moving book. . . . Central to Mong’s thinking is that memory is the key to lasting reconciliation. We forgive, but we cannot—we must not—forget.”


—Stephen Bevans, SVD, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago





“Forgiving does not involve forgetting. To forget is to repeat our mistakes. Mong has given us an excellent book of practical theology that is thought-provoking and challenging. . . . His book can inspire us to become peacemakers in conflict situations everywhere.”


—Michael Amaladoss, SJ, Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions, Loyola College, India





“Framed by events taking place in present-day Hong Kong, Ambrose Mong explores issues of forgiveness and reconciliation in a wide range of countries that have experienced devastating conflict, including genocide, in modern times. He alerts us to the complexity of economic, political, and socio-cultural issues involved. At the same time, he acknowledges the existential hope that may be found through traditional and cultural values, truth-telling, and the promotion of peace through justice, leading to personal liberation and social transformation.”


—Patricia Madigan OP, Centre for Interfaith Ministry Education and Research, Australia