Yesterday, students and faculty welcomed Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, to speak about the importance of religious diversity and interfaith cooperation. His presentation was given in Syufy theater to seniors, juniors and sophomores, while the freshman watched it live in their advisory rooms.
“I thought his presentation was really interesting and he made some good points about faith and how different aspects of someone’s identity should connect us, not divide us,” sophomore Bibiana Renazco-Magelssen said. “I think this is really important, especially in today’s world, to recognize that differences are not a way to point fingers but instead a way to unite different people,”
Mr. Patel founded Interfaith America, an organization which aims to connect religions through common goals and create a society of religious pluralism. Mr. Patel emphasized five main points: diversity is a treasure, identity is a source of pride, faith is a bridge, cooperation is better than division and everyone is a contributor. These core principles shape his company and how they go about connecting people and ideas. He focused on each principle and what they mean to both him and the organization as a whole, providing students and faculty with important lessons and takeaways.
“In a very general sense, I think he offered some insight for students and teachers alike regarding plurality, diversity and interacting with people you disagree with,” Religion and Ethics teacher Clint Hackenburg said. “However, sometimes I felt like he was delivering his ‘greatest hits’ that didn’t resonate with me as much as he thinks they do. Certain aspects of the presentation felt somewhat contrived, and I wish we could have gone into fewer subjects with greater depth rather than a wide variety of topics generally.”
In his presentation, Patel highlighted America’s myriad of religious practices and how these intersect in many people and communities today. He reflected on his Islamic heritage and how it mixes with many Catholic institutions he and his family have attended. In one anecdote, Patel explained how his father, a practicing Muslim, would pray at the Statue of Mary in Notre Dame’s Catholic Grotto. This experience opened his eyes to how many religions have overlapping values, and how we as a society should try to look for the similarities rather than the differences.
“Overall, I enjoyed Mr. Patel’s presentation and I think he was really well spoken,” Renazco-Magelssen said. “I love how our school offers visiting authors and it’s always interesting to see what each one has to say and how they connect it to our lives at school.”
