Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebrated

In an open display of religious solidarity, Boston College students, administrators and faculty gathered yesterday at noon in Corcoran Commons' Heights Room for a Multi-Faith Thanksgiving Celebration hosted by the Office of Campus Ministry.

The celebration, whose theme was "For This I am Grateful: A Joyful Celebration of our Diverse Roots and Shared Values," featured representatives from BC's major religious denominations including Buddhism, Bahá'í, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. Religious symbols from each of those aforementioned religions adorned the Heights Room. Musical accompaniment was provided by BC's Liturgical Arts Group as well as members from The School of Sacred Music Ensemble from Hebrew College. Several student hymnists also participated in musical celebration.

After a brief introduction by Rev. Anthony Penna, director of campus ministry, Rev. Howard McLendon, a multi-faith campus minister, called on the congregation to embrace the beliefs for which they were gathered – and each other. "Now that we've assembled in an inter-faith group, it would be unfortunate if you left here and did not find someone of a different faith than you," McLendon said before calling on the congregation to "find someone that may cause you to have an inter-faith interaction." Hugs were exchanged and holiday blessings shared as the attendees stood and greeted their fellow congregants.

The event featured several BC community members who spoke about their gratitude. The first such speaker was Adeane Bergman, art librarian for Bapst Library. Bergman spoke of her experience growing up in a Jewish-American household and the comfort and support she derived from that. "When we grew up, we celebrated the four main Jewish-American holidays: Hanukah, Passover, Fourth of July, and Thanksgiving," Bergman said, referring to her early holiday experience. Most of all, Bergman said she was thankful for the life lessons her family taught her. "While they are not living, all they taught me will always be with me, especially on Thanksgiving."

Also speaking on the topic of gratitude were BC linebacker and cancer survivor Mark Herzlich, CSOM '10, and Rebecca Rowley, director of the Carroll School of Management's Leadership for Change program. Herzlich spoke on his own spirituality in the context of his battle with Ewing's Sarcoma. "I wasn't very religious up to [my diagnosis]," he said. "But after I was diagnosed, I lay in my bed and I prayed to God and thought ‘I am not going to let this hold me back.'"

Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in May of this year. In October, the senior ACC Defensive Player of the Year, announced that the cancer had disappeared.    

Herzlich said he attributes his quick recovery to the power of God. "It's amazing," he said. "The doctor this fall told me I would be able to start running and training and that I would soon be able to start playing football again." He also spoke on the opportunities he has had to spread awareness of cancer to a national audience. "I thank God to not only be here for myself, but to be here for other people is truly a blessing."

Rowley, a follower of the Bahá'í faith, referred to her own college days as a time that was filled with questioning. This questioning, she said, is something for which to be grateful. "To question the purpose and outcome of wars and to advocate for peace … to question the seeds of doubt and to restore trust with truth … for all those questions and all those I have yet to ask – for this I am grateful."

Following Rowley's thanksgiving, Karen Kiefer, assistant director of the Church in the 21st Century Center and founder of Spread the Bread, a global grassroots bread-giving initiative, spoke on her organization's actions and urged congregants to participate in a blessing of several loaves of bread that they intended to distribute to local food pantries. Kiefer spoke of the Jesuit ideal of solidarity as the impetus behind her movement. "My parents taught me when I was younger that charity begins at home," she said. "The Jesuits taught me that the world is my home."

The service came to a close with a resounding multilingual hymn led by McLendon, in which he called upon the congregation to join him in singing, "Grazie, Cám ón, we thank you, Lord."