October 8, 2025

Dear Friends,

We began a one-year observance of our twenty-fifth anniversary on September 8, 2025. It will conclude on September 8, 2026. 

As part of our observance, we began, on September 21, 2025, a year of reflections on the heart of the Interfaith Peace Project – the Interpath Principles. The reflections are being sent to you on the eighth and twenty-first of each month. If you would like to view the previous reflections, you can find them on our blog at: interfaithpeaceproject.org.

If you have anything that you would like to share, please contact:

Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P.
[email protected]
925-787-9279

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THE INTERFAITH PEACE PROJECT
A Legacy of Peace-Making for Twenty-Five Years
September 8, 2001 – September 8, 2026

THE HEART OF OUR WORK

 

The great play, Les Misérables, challenges and transforms our hearts with this powerful verse, “To see another person, is to see the face of God.”   The Sufi Tradition teaches us that “we are better people because we meet one another.” 

We have learned over the years that religions cannot meet and share. Only people can gather for dialogue, study, and deep encounter. In fact, no two people, even from the same faith tradition, believe, pray, and think in the same way. The teachings, customs, and practices of the great faith traditions of humankind find unique expressions in each and every individual person. It has been our blessing to engage so many people along the way. We desire to share some of what we discovered with you as a token of our gratitude and love for you.

First, our interfaith friends teach us the preciousness of every human life. For many, the Divine is uniquely revealed in the people we meet along the pathways of life. 

Second, our dialogue partners remind us of the splendor and beauty of the natural world. They sing in the rain, rejoice in the sunlight, and hold dear the visible and invisible forces of nature and the cosmos. They remind us we are children of the stars.

Third, our fellow seekers open the door to the poor and broken of this world. We have an obligation in justice and love to share from our abundance, whatever that abundance might be.

Fourth, our greatest teachers and mentors are the people who seem to be less fortunate because of the circumstances of life and health. They liberate us from excessive possessions. They teach us to live one day at a time, rejoicing in the simple things of life.

Fifth, our challengers invite us to be people of integrity, honesty, and openness. Every day is an opportunity to discover the beauty of life and the splendor of what it means to be a human person.

Sixth, the strangers who come to our door invite us to be their friends in ways generous and hospitable. They remind us to always unlock the doors of our hearts.

Seventh, we hear the cry of the afflicted and our hearts break. We want to respond better than we have, we want to do more than we did. In all of our studies, encounters, dialogues, and teaching is a deep love for those who suffer. These are our precious teachers and mentors for they awaken our hearts’ ability to love, care, and serve. They invite us to be people of reconciliation, healing, and justice.

Thank you, dear friends, for teaching us over the years how to open our doors and hearts to anyone and everyone. We do this together, each in our own wonderful way.