ICSoCal’s president, Swami Mahayogananda of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, with other council members, opens the discussion at the June 6 reception. Photo: John Taylor
Bishop John Harvey Taylor of the Diocese of Los Angeles and Archbishop Julio E. Murray, primate of the Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America (IARCA), attended the June 6 reception. Photo: Bob Williams
[The Episcopal News] Bishop John Harvey Taylor joined local faith leaders in welcoming members of the Interreligious Forum of the Americas to St. Paul’s Commons, Echo Park, on June 6 for an evening reception hosted by the Interreligious Council of Southern California (ICSoCal).
Forum participants from across the hemisphere held a two-day conference at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to engage faith-based perspectives on political, economic, immigration, climate-change, and public health challenges, among other issues central to the international Summit of the Americas, opened June 8 in Los Angeles by President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden.
Addressing the Echo Park reception’s 95 attendees, Maria Celina Conte, director of the Summit of the Americas Secretariat, and Kevin O’Reilly, Summit coordinator, underscored opportunities for faith communities to partner with government agencies in addressing justice issues.
Offering the invocation, Bishop Taylor noted that “Because God is local, hemispheric, and universal. God knows no borders or limitations. God does not prefer one person or nation over any other. God desires the thriving of all – the security and safety of all – freedom and justice for all.”
International guests included Archbishop Julio E. Murray, primate of the Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America (IARCA), and Archbishop Iosif L. Bosch, primate in South America of the Greek Orthodox Church.
ICSoCal’s president, Swami Mahayogananda of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, moderated the program and drew connections between global and local priorities shared by the Interreligious Council, online here.
ICSoCal’s president, Swami Mahayogananda of the Vedanta Society of Southern California addresses the June 6 reception. Photo: Bob Williams