Come and meet Michael Lapsley
Luxembourg, Thursday 28 April 2022

Michael Lapsley, an Anglican priest originally from New Zealand, was the victim of a parcel bomb attack in 1990 as a result of his involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle. He now has metal hooks instead of hands and has had several operations on his head. After the fall of the apartheid regime, realising that South Africa was still a ‘deeply divided and wounded society’, he founded the Institute for Healing of memories in 1998, a place where people could meet and share, a place to help heal the emotional, psychological and spiritual wounds of violence. in this context, he also organised workshops to help people deal with their past in many countries around the world: in the US, Colombia, Australia, English-speaking and French-speaking Africa, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, France, Spain … His memoir, entitled ‘Redeeming the Past’, has been published in a dozen languages and came out in Arabic in 2017.

At the information meeting hosted on 28 April by ‘Healing of Memories Luxembourg’, Father Lapsley will talk to us about his worldwide mission aimed at offering comfort and way out for people bearing the scars of violence caused by oppressive regimes, wars or situations of discrimination. He will also invite anyone interested to take part in a workshop which he will lead from 20 to 22 May.

Father Lapsley will speak in English, and interpreting will be provided in French and Arabic.

‘Michael’s life represents a compelling metaphor … a foreigner who came to our country and was transformed. His life is part of the tapestry of the many long journeys and struggles of our people.’

Nelson Mandela