John Hume (Nobel)

John Hume, a prominent Northern Irish politician, was the only person to have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Gandhi Peace Prize, and the Martin Luther King Award for his role as peacemaker in the Northern Ireland conflict. He was born one of seven children into a working-class family that emphasized both education and hard work. Hume's Catholic identity and experiences of discrimination shaped his commitment to justice and equality throughout his life. John began his professional career as a teacher and later helped to found a credit union and became the youngest President of the Irish League of Credit Unions. In 1921, Ireland was divided into two regions causing internal dissension. Northern Ireland, having a strong Protestant majority, became part of the United Kingdom, while mostly Catholic Southern Ireland became the independent Republic of Ireland. During the 20th century, the Northern Irish government carried out discrimination against Catholics in housing, employment and voting rights, leading to the creation of a violent rebel group known as the IRA (Irish Republican Army). In contrast, John became involved in civil rights activism championing non-violent protests resisting discrimination. John co-founded the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) becoming its leader and advancing the visions of a peaceful and united Ireland. His most notable achievement was his pivotal role in negotiating the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which helped end decades of violence in Northern Ireland. For his efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. John Hume was a practicing Roman Catholic whose faith was integral to his commitment to peace and reconciliation. His Christian faith ran deep as noted in his statement: "I go to Mass every day, practice charity, pray regularly." What do you think, did John Hume's Christian faith seriously contribute to the role he played as peacemaker in the Christian Story?