Catholics to continue dialogue with Hindus-Muslims-Protestants-Buddhists- Jews in Nevada

Nevada (US), Dec 21 (ANI): Catholics in northern Nevada (USA) want to continue the annual dialogue tradition with Jews-Muslims-Protestants-Buddhists-Hindus next year also in Sparks.

According to Father Charles T. Durante, Pastor of Saint Teresa of Avila Catholic Church of Carson City, it will be held on January eight next in two sessions among leaders of Muslim, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish faiths besides Catholic.

Invited religious figures include Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, Reverend V. James Jeffrey, Rabbi Teri Appleby, Imam Abdul Rahim Barghouthi, and Dr. William Bartlett, in addition to Father Durante, who will facilitate the dialogue. This will form part of the Annual Diocesan Conference of Reno (Nevada, USA) Catholic Diocese whose theme will be "Born in God's Image".

Interreligious dialogue this time is around the topic of "Laughing With God", and the interfaith panel will explore some of the humor that lies within our sacred texts and religious teachings. "If we are born in God's image, then laughter is surely an action of God", announcement says.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, has congratulated the Catholic Diocese efforts in reaching out to other religions for a dialogue. "Religion is a complex component of human life. Dialogue helps us to see interconnections and interdependencies between religions and even similarities in doctrines," Zed adds.

Besides interfaith dialogue, this two-day Catholic conference (January 7-8, 2011) will also include workshops on Parenting, Ethics of Infertility Treatment, Imagining God, Using Media Technology in Ministry, Embracing Our Dying, etc., in addition to Sanskrit chants and an exhibition.

Catholic Diocese of Reno, established in 1931, covers 70,852 square miles spread in eleven Nevada counties in addition to Carson City. Before 1840, this area was under the Diocese of Sonora in Mexico, when it came under the jurisdiction of Bishop Moreno of California. Current Bishop is Most Reverend Randolph R. Calvo. (ANI)