Father van Nispen is a Jesuit priest, who is strongly involved in relationships with Islam. In the beginning of his priesthood he chose 'The service of reconciliation' to be his motto. In an interview with Egyptian Al-Ahram Weekly on December 31, 1998, he clarified: "My interpretation of the term reconciliation is entering into a true relationship with people – of different faiths, denominations, cultural and social levels – studying, understanding and respecting these differences. Reconciliation does not imply the abolishment of differences; on the contrary, it acknowledges these differences and searches for common ground and the possibility of communication to bring them into agreement and harmony."