Saturday, January 3, 2015

Celebrate Diversity in 2015

A church built to serve the city's Polish Catholic population is now a Krishna temple after a chapter as a Christian "World Outreach" church.

The edifice at 1020 West Seventh Street was completed in 1972 as St. Stanislaus Kostka, as traced in this church history. When the Polish congregation dwindled from over 500 families to 100, the parish merged with St. Bernard of Clairvaux in 2005. Eventually the building became the headquarters for the ministry of Dr. Gary Kirkwood Sr.

The latest transition was mentioned on a new blog, plainfieldlatino.com, where writer Alma Meza described her visit to the Radha Krishna Temple & Cultural Center on New Year's Eve. Meza describes her experience as fitting for Plainfield, where many prize the city's diversity. She explains:

"As I conclude, you may be wondering, Isn't this a Latino blog? Well, yes, but let me explain: Latinos are very open-minded and welcoming. We are a very diverse group, full of many different nationalities, so naturally we enjoy discovering and experiencing other cultures and faiths. We appreciate diversity, and the purpose of our blog is to give you a Latino perspective on other cultures."

May we all enter 2015 with respect for all of our diverse backgrounds and beliefs!

--Bernice

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