Catholics to have serious dialogue with Hindus in US

Sparks (Nevada, US), Dec 8: Catholics leaders will have a serious dialogue with the leaders of Hindus and other religions during the silver jubilee celebrations of the Annual Diocesan Conference of Reno Catholic Diocese here in January next year.

According to Father Charles T. Durante, Pastor of Saint Teresa of Avila Catholic Church of Carson City, the regional leaders of Muslim, Protestant, Hindu, and Jewish faiths, besides Catholic will exchange ideas on "truth", "fullness", "acceptance of each other", and "growing together".

It will reflect on "how do we reconnect", Durante added.

Among the religious leaders participating in the dialogue are prominent Hindu chaplain and Indo-American leader Rajan Zed, Reverend V. James Jeffrey, Rabbi Myra Soifer and Imam Abdul Barghouthi, besides Durante.

"Integrity—Rooted in the Soul" is the theme of the 25th annual conference.

The topics to be covered in the conference include "New Cosmology for Saving Mother Earth", "Reaching Your Teens", "Love and Economics" and "Smart Sex".

Congratulating the Catholic Diocese efforts in reaching out to other religions for a dialogue, Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed said: "Religion is a complex component of human life. Dialogue helps us to see interconnections and interdependencies between religions and even similarities in doctrines."

There will also be a Spanish language section. Famous Catholic music artist, John Angotti, will also participate in the conference to be held on January 18 and 19.

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)