Houston community members explore different religions

By Alan Suderman
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Once a week over the summer, about 20 residents from Eagle’s Trace took a break from their day to learn about nirvana.

The class, called “Vacation Buddha School,” was designed to give participants an opportunity to learn and discuss the beliefs and tenets of Buddhism. Buddhism is more than 2,500 years old and is practiced by some 300 million people, mainly in Asia.

“It’s important in our world to learn as much as we can about other people,” says Pat McKinley, who lives at Eagle’s Trace and is a member of the class. “It’s vitally important.”

Curiosity abounds
Such curiosity about the world’s people and their faiths is common at this Houston campus, says Mary Kate Kell, the community’s pastoral ministries manager.

“The residents here are intellectually interested in other areas,” Kell says. She adds that there has also been a class about Islam earlier this year, which was fueled by residents’ questions about conflicts between the West and some members of that religion

“It’s very open,” she says. “People just want to understand.”

Residents agree that the tolerant atmosphere of Eagle’s Trace makes it easy to examine new faiths while practicing one’s own.

“I find this is the most inclusive place I’ve ever been,” says community member Ruth Herman. Herman helped organize a seder last year that drew more than 80 people of all faiths.

“I don’t think we could have handled any more people,” she says with a laugh.

Open to everyone
Whatever their religious stripe, residents at Eagle’s Trace can find ample spiritual nourishment, Kell says.

They carpool to nearby places of worship, and once a month a speaker is invited for an interfaith service that is open to everyone.