Building bridges among faiths

Friday, Mar. 31, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY — Saying it was an honor to be with leaders and shepherds of other faith communities, Bishop Oscar A. Solis addressed members of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable during a March 22 luncheon that was held at Saint Catherine of Siena Newman Center in Salt Lake City.

The Roundtable was founded to provide for the spiritual needs of the people involved in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and has continued since then to promote “love, harmony and understanding among people of all faith traditions, cultures and belief systems,” according to the nonprofit organization’s website.

For the luncheon, the group filled the Newman Center’s gathering space. Among those present was Dominican Father Mark Padrez, prior provincial of the Western Dominican Province, who was visiting the parish, which priests from his order minister to.

Jan Saeed, a member of the Baha’i faith community and a past chair of the Roundtable, welcomed Bishop Solis, saying he is the third Catholic bishop to be involved with the group. “Bishop (George H.) Niederauer was at our very first tribute to the human spirit, and … the Cathedral of the Madeleine was the first holy site where we held the tribute to the human spirit,” she said. 

Bishop Solis expressed the diocese’s desire to work cooperatively and collaboratively with leaders of the different faith denominations, “who share our common vision and a desire for wisdom, for truth, for holiness, for justice, for peace in the world. … Our presence here is a great sign of the profound bond that unites us in faith, in hope and in charity.”

“Our world is hungry and thirsty for truth, for love, compassion, hope and unity. As leaders of our faith communities, we face these challenges as part and parcel of our ministry, of our sacred responsibility as shepherds of our respective flocks. It is important for all of us and our church communities to witness and proclaim with one voice the need to establish one global family and build a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” he said.