In June 2023, the New Mexico Interfaith Immersion Trip brought together ten youth from the San Francisco Bay Area, Orange County, Boston and New York for a unique exploration of spirituality and cultural exchange. Hosted in Santa Fe this immersive experience aimed to foster understanding through visits to various places of worship and engaging dialogues with spiritual leaders from different faith traditions.
This particular New Mexico Interfaith Immersion Trip stood out among the numerous ones held, gaining significance due to its revival post the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, it formed a distinctive collaboration with Notre Dame High School, which played a significant role in the organizational planning, thanks to Shinnyo Senior Fellow and a close friend of the foundation, Steve Herrera.
As in previous years, the schedule encompassed visits to diverse places of worship, such as the oldest Catholic Church in the United States, San Miguel Chapel, offering participants a firsthand glimpse into the practices and beliefs of various faith traditions. At each location the group engaged in dialogues with spiritual leaders and practitioners, including Native American elders.
A highlight of the trip was an evening where Shinnyo-en faith and practices were shared by Shino Nakamichi and Matthew Gollnick, accompanied by Luke Pengelly and Camille Warford. This allowed the other participants to deepen their understanding of Shinnyo-en teachings and the overall trip created a shared sense of unity among the group. The journey not only broadened perspectives but also created lasting connections among youth from various faith backgrounds.
To learn more about the New Mexico Interfaith Immersion trip, please take a look at the New Mexico Promo video created by Steve Herrera.