Bryant hosts 12th Annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast

The event is designed to give attendees an inspirational hour of music, prayer, and a spiritual message.

Bryant continued a tradition on February 5 as the University hosted its 12th Annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast. Students, faculty, staff, and members of the community were invited to reflect, pray, and hear an inspirational message.

The event is patterned after the National Prayer Breakfast, which is held each February in Washington, D.C, and is replicated throughout the United States.

“The Prayer Breakfast brings together people of all faiths to share a spirituality that is very important in our lives,” said Kati Machtley, chair of the Prayer Breakfast and director of the Women’s Summit.

Robert Harvey ’11 (Mount Laurel, NJ) delivered the student reflection, a moving message he wrote titled “Journey of the Spirit.”

The Rev. Dr. Donald Anderson, executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches and guest speaker, says the Prayer Breakfast helps unite people to learn, connect, and share. Readings presented from the Psalms, the Koran, and the Scriptures, he said, had very similar messages: to be an advocate for those in need.

“If we have a faith that is genuine and authentic, it ought to be somehow living its way out in our lives by helping the plight of those who are the most vulnerable in our society,” he said. “We are called to be active in the cause of justice.”

He referenced some disturbing statistics from the United States Census that said the rate of childhood poverty in Providence, RI, is twice the national average.

“How can I claim to be a person of faith who cares about issues of justice and not be brokenhearted by the fact that I live in a state where the capital city is the third worst city for children in America?” he asked.

He encouraged the participants to be humble and grateful for what they had and called for them to be part of the solution.

“I hope you get to a point where you say I have to do something,” he said. “One of the things that ought to distinguish us as people of faith is that we not only want to do the right thing but that we love mercy.”

Hakan Saraoglu, professor of finance, read from the Koran. Greg Hirshorn ’08 (Fairfield, CT) read from the Psalms and Ryan Daley ’08 (Hudson, MA) read from the Scriptures.

The Bryant Singers performed under the direction of Flo St. Jean along with accompanist Natalya Goncharova.

The Reverend Philip Devens, Protestant Chaplin at Bryant, gave the Invocation and Intersession prayers and The Reverend Joseph Pescatello, Catholic Chaplin at Bryant, gave the Benediction prayer.