One Mission, Many Faiths: The inspiring power of interfaith service and community

Father Orrin Halapeska, pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and School in Rosenberg and Officer of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese, signs a document during recent interreligious gathering in Houston. (Photo by James Ramos/Herald)

Across the Archdiocese, faith communities are demonstrating the power of unity, proving that when people of different religious traditions come together in faith and service, they can transform lives. 

The Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (OEIA) exists as a response to the Catholic Church’s commitment to full, visible unity among Christians and to fostering relationships with Jews, Muslims and people of other world religions in greater Houston. Its mission includes strengthening Christian unity, deepening interreligious relationships, and promoting mutual understanding through prayer, dialogue, education and civic collaboration. 

Father Orrin Halepeska, pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and School in Rosenberg and officer of the OEIA, has worked to strengthen Christian unity and interfaith relationships through formation, outreach and shared acts of service for the past six years. Reflecting on his own experience, he said many people have not had the chance to engage with those of different religious backgrounds, making interfaith collaboration a meaningful and eye-opening encounter.

“I believe many people, like me, grew up without talking to people of other faiths because that opportunity was not available,” Father Halepeska said. “Being able to talk with them, learn from them, share with them, and work alongside them has been a blessing to me and so many others. When you share your faith, people realize how much we have in common.” 

Interfaith dialogue reveals that faith communities share many of the same struggles. Father Halepeska has witnessed groups come together in service and understanding, forming bonds that transcend religious traditions. Through these connections, he has also seen how shared challenges can create a deeper sense of unity. 

“I’ve learned that the struggles we face as a Church are not just ours; they are shared by everyone,” Father Halepeska said. “Being in that struggle together, as a human race and as God’s people, creates a brotherhood and sisterhood we can all rely on. One of the biggest challenges is helping people overcome their fear of getting involved with the ecumenical and interreligious office.” 

Father Halepeska has memorable moments when individuals, moved by curiosity, reach out to learn more about Catholicism, often over a meal that fosters open dialogue and deeper interfaith understanding. 

“Those moments are so special because we become like our Lord has asked us to be — one human race, together in love and support for one another,” said Father Halepeska. “This has challenged me, and I can say that it’s made me a better Catholic — a better priest and child of God because I’ve learned so much from them.” 

Kim Mabry, program manager of Interfaith Engagement at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, sees the OEIA as a vital bridge to the Catholic Church, helping interfaith groups connect for discussions, panels and collaborations. She notes that navigating the Church can be overwhelming, but the OEIA fosters accessibility. 

“At the end of the day, those of us engaged in interfaith work want to see greater interaction, understanding, peace and camaraderie,” Mabry said. “In my own spiritual journey, being involved with the team at OEIA, I’ve never known Catholics in this role before, where it’s part of their job to talk about religion and sometimes even politics. It elevates me spiritually because I grow through their experiences, beliefs and understanding of their theology of the Church.” 

While dialogue fosters understanding, interfaith collaboration also requires action. For Shariq Ghani, executive director of the Minaret Foundation, this means partnering with the OEIA to address poverty, literacy, hunger and refugee support. One example is Story Stars, a literacy program launching at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, which will provide free books to children, educate parents on the importance of reading, and foster interfaith commitment to education and family support. 

Ghani sees the OEIA as key to helping Catholic parishes build relationships with other faith communities, breaking down barriers to interfaith collaboration. 

“Sometimes there’s a fear of the unknown, a fear of approaching someone you’ve never met before, a fear of asking someone from a different faith tradition about their perspective on God, poverty or current issues,” Ghani said. “The beauty of this office is that it has provided that pathway to make the process of greeting, meeting and celebrating with neighbors far easier.” 

For Cara Bryan, co-chair for the Ecumenical and Interreligious Commission, interfaith collaboration is both a learning experience and a call to serve, deepening her understanding of different religious traditions while strengthening her own faith.  

This understanding extends beyond dialogue into action as she works to connect Catholic parishes with volunteer opportunities through initiatives like Meals on Wheels, serving vulnerable residents in Bolivar and Galveston County. For her, these acts of service reflect a common truth — despite differences in doctrine, faith communities share the same mission: to love and care for others. 

“One of the greatest takeaways from this work has been gaining a deeper knowledge of other faiths,” Bryan said. “We are all striving toward holiness, even if our approaches differ. Regardless of our religious traditions, we all seek experiences with the divine, we all aim to help others through hard times, and we all want to minister to those in need.” 

This shared mission is what makes interfaith collaboration so powerful. When faith communities stand together, learn from one another, and serve side by side, they strengthen their own faith and create lasting change, proving that unity in action can transform lives. 

To learn more about the OEIA, a ministry supported by the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), visit archgh.org/ecumenism. To support DSF ministries, including OEIA, visit archgh.org/DSF. Every DSF gift directly funds ministries like OEIA, ensuring they continue their vital work in service and education.