March 21, 2026

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.
peace@thomaspbonacci.net
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

SIMPLICITY
THE FIFTH INTERPATH PRINCIPLE

We strive to be organizationally simple.

The structures of our organization must never interfere with our desire to welcome everyone. We do not seek affiliation with any particular spiritual, philosophical, or cultural institution as we strive to be inclusive and open. We seek to transcend any attachment to outcomes, recognizing that our work and journey are ongoing and radically open. The greatest gifts we receive are the presence, wisdom, and courage of all we meet.

Simplicity is a dynamic way to live life. Simplicity invites us to see the world as it truly is and respond accordingly. Simplicity is a virtue inviting us to live our lives for the sake of one another. The Tao Te Ching #8 teaches us:

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don’t try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
…

This Principle of Simplicity has guided The Interfaith Peace Project for the past twenty-five years. Our mentors invited us to simply and truly be ourselves. We like to think the words of the Tao have informed and transformed us as we strive to meet others as they are. This Fifth Principle opens the door to a peaceful way of being and working. We have discovered five aspects of this Principle:

1.     Structures that do not interfere with the openness to others

It was more than important to develop the work of The Interfaith Peace Project in such a way as to make it more and more approachable.  We realized from the beginning the importance of the environment in which dialogues and encounters would occur. This is an ongoing discovery. The smallest detail in a room, a simple word or gesture, can create an atmosphere of welcome, respect, and hospitality. This is not simply a matter of being sensitive to diverse traditions but respectful of diverse persons.

2.     The Board of Directors engages in honest and open dialogue with one another so that our business meetings are times for personal exchange, gleaning the wisdom of one another, and sharing what we have learned from our interfaith experiences.

The Board is responsible for financial oversight to ensure that all donations and income are used appropriately for our work and outreach. The purpose of the Board, in our situation, is more than financial or administrative. Board members practice Interfaith love and understanding in various ways, depending on their gifts, talents, interests, and experiences. The Board meeting is a time to share these experiences as we continue to discover what it means to be dedicated to Interfaith Outreach for the sake and well-being of every person and the world.

3.     The Interfaith Peace Project has no formal membership. 

Every encounter, meeting, or program is an experience of Interfaith peace, cooperation, and respect. The Interfaith Peace Project is a humble movement in cooperation with other interfaith movements worldwide. We seek to empower and support those who desire to be transformed by the Wisdom of the Global Traditions and, more importantly, the individuals who practice them. We make no attempt to self-perpetuate. We realize we are caught up in a Global Movement that is and will transform the world. Ours is a humble contribution for the moment.

4.     The Interfaith Peace Project is Nonaffiliated.

Since every Tradition has its limits and boundaries, we must carefully consider the consequences of such limits and boundaries for our work and outreach. We are open to everyone, even those who might not be open to us or one another. Our “non-affiliation” is based on a deep respect for everyone we meet. It is the heart of our work to welcome, encounter, and mutually grow together with people who might otherwise think they do not belong because of the uniqueness of their person, lives, and convictions. 

5.     Respectful of all – radical openness to everyone. 

Most Traditions strive to observe “The Golden Rule” which simply states we should love others as we love ourselves. This is a work in progress. While we might not achieve perfection, we do seek to make progress. We are not motivated by results or outcomes. Radical self-giving openness to others is the essence of the work, simply stated.


Blessings to you, Beloved Community, for striving to live in such a way as to bless a hurting world with your courage, love, and compassion. Gratitude to you for inspiring us and our work – work we do together.