Leaders representing six faiths will speak about the beliefs, customs and rituals their religions observe regarding death and dying during an Interfaith Dialogue at Moraine Valley Community College on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The panel will be in the Moraine Business and Conference Center, Building M, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills. It is free and open to all.
The confirmed panelists are the Rev. Tilemahos Alikakos, Orthodox priest; the Rev. Michael Grisolano, Catholic priest; the Rev. Dr. Craig Jenkins, Baptist pastor; Omer Mozaffer, Muslim chaplain at Loyola University for Islam; Jonathan Simon, psychotherapist from the Jewish faith; and Sirdar Gaurav Singh, Sikhism. Each panelist will discuss their religion’s belief about death/dying, funeral and burial rituals, and mourning practices. The format allows for a question and answer session at the end of the panel.
“Moraine Valley embraces diversity and encourages programming that fosters an understanding, appreciation and respect for the multi-cultural community in which we live. The Interfaith Dialogue’s focus on the practices, traditions and rituals surrounding death and dying will benefit our college community as it’s something people of all faiths can relate to and will experience. It reaches across every culture, community and faith,” said Souzan Naser, counselor at Moraine Valley and co-chair of the Interfaith Dialogue Panel.
The Interfaith Dialogue is sponsored by the college’s Celebrating Diversity Committee. For questions, contact Naser at (708) 608-4185 or email nasers2@morainevalley.edu.
For news media inquiries, call Jessica Crotty, College and Community Relations coordinator, at (708) 974-5281, or e-mail her at crotty@morainevalley.edu.
