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January 23, 2014
World
Religion Day puts beliefs into action
Ellen O’Connor
 This
was the theme of this year’s World Religion Day ceremony held on
Sunday, Jan. 19 where over 250 people representing various religious
groups gathered to engage in interfaith discussion at Jean Piggott Hall
in Ottawa City Hall
“World Religion Day is an event that
celebrates the religious diversity of the city and it is also a good
forum to help people to come together and talk about a common theme,”
said Natalia Rodriguez, a member of the Bahá’í community in Ottawa.
Although
World Religion Day has been going on in the United States since the
1950s, The Bahá’í community has organized World Religion Day since its
inception in Ottawa 14 years ago.
“It started as a need to bring
different religious groups together because sometimes it was seen that
they were mutually exclusive as opposed to focusing more on what they
have in common,” said Rodriguez. It is now recognized in 250 locations
around the world and is celebrated on the third Sunday of January.
Ottawa’s
ceremony began with an Aboriginal welcome and blessing Bahá’í prayer
for unity, and featured musical performances by the First Unitarian
Church Chamber Choir led by Jacob Caines, the Sikh Children’s Kirtan
Group, and the Tamir Choir, led by Cantor Daniel Benlolo.
New to
this year’s celebration was a panel of speakers from four different
faith groups in the city. The panel was moderated by CBC broadcast
journalist and writer, Waubgeshig Rice and featured Dan Maki, a
Christian; Nadia Abu Zahra, a Muslim; Bonnie McCutcheon, a Buddhist;
and Adam Moscoe, a Jew. “The whole idea of getting these four prominent
individuals together is to talk about how their faith defines them on a
day-to-day level and how it helps them through their various
experiences,” explained Rice to the audience.
 The
panelists had the opportunity to interact with each other and share
their faith-based perspectives so they, and the audience, could gain
insight into their everyday religious practices – some that differ and
some that overlap.
One question asked by Rice was how their faith influences their daily behaviour.
“It’s
about infusing every minute with spiritual values – sometimes its
subconscious and sometimes it’s very conscious, but it’s acknowledging
that every minute is sacred,” said Moscoe, adding whether it’s going to
the gym or visiting his grandmother.
McCutcheon echoed his
answer, saying that whatever experiences arise, happiness or suffering,
she tries to transform it into the spiritual path.
Abu Zahra
jokingly said one thing she does to put her faith into action is feed
people, carrying enough food for 20 – a 10 portion for her, and a 10
portion for other people.
“What I do now, is I do less,” she
added. “I used to run around like a chicken with its head cut off,
trying to do so much. Now I try a little bit less, but with a stronger
focus.”
Maki said he starts his day by reading three chapters of
the Bible, then asking how God can direct his day. “God loves people
and my job is to love people in his place, so when I meet people every
day I ask what I can do to show that God loves them.”
Published in the Ottawa Star January 23, 2014
COPYRIGHT © 2013 Ottawa Star
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