Live and Forgive was developed by presenter and facilitator Tom Delaney as part of his completion of forgiveness studies in the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. The REACH forgiveness model and process researched by Everett Worthington and Tyler VanderWeele is core content for Live and Forgive presentations, guided retreats. and small group series. The Human Flourishing Program offers additional resources and supports to Catholic parishes and faith communities that want to hold a Live and Forgive event for their community members – ask Tom for more information about that!

The following are highlights from the June 2025 research update by the Human Flourishing Program:

Forgiveness is needed globally, and it is critical to flourishing. As social beings, we are all hurt, wronged, or offended by others at some point in life. One might contemplate numerous options for how to approach such wounds, from suppression of the hurt that leaves it unresolved and likely to re-emerge, to rumination, anger, and revenge-seeking that do not necessarily address root causes of the wounds. More constructively, one might seek justice, accountability, and forgiveness. The benefits of forgiveness and its relation to flourishing make forgiveness a powerful pathway toward both individual and community healing. This is why the Human Flourishing Program continues to research and prioritize the promotion of forgiveness. When the potential benefits of forgiveness are considered alongside how common it is to be hurt or wronged by others, forgiveness is an important public health issue worthy of greater attention.

Because forgiveness can make individuals and communities stronger and healthier, the Human Flourishing Program has launched the Global Forgiveness Movement. This initiative, funded by generous support from Bancel Philanthropies and the Kern Family Foundation, aims to use our research and evidence-based interventions to support flourishing by making the world a more loving and forgiving place. 

The cornerstone of the Global Forgiveness Movement is the promotion of Everett Worthington’s evidence-based brief REACH Do-it-Yourself Forgiveness Workbook, which can be completed in a few hours. Worthington’s REACH model, one of the most widely tested models of forgiveness, encourages emotional forgiveness.

The Human Flourishing Program has enhanced the workbook design to make it more user-friendly. In response to interest from churches, we have also made a version of the workbook adapted for use in churches. We hope to continue to make future adaptions to the REACH workbook to meet the needs of various communities as our initiative continues. 

Photo credit: Ecureuil Roux (2017)

This text is an original work of its author Tom Delaney and was entirely composed without the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

---

If your parish or faith community is seeking a deeper experience of healing, mercy, and spiritual renewal, Live and Forgive is here to help. To begin the conversation, email Live and Forgive presenter and facilitator Tom Delaney at tom@liveandforgive.com—Tom will be glad to connect with you in a spirit of welcome, respect, and shared faith.