April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
30TH ANNIVERSARY
Three decades of building interfaith bridges
Father Kane should know: This summer, he celebrates his 30th anniversary as director of the diocesan Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
Father Kane recalls the accomplishments and shortcomings of a local movement often singled out by the Vatican as exemplary. He looks back with pride on an historic 1986 reconciliation event with the Jewish community at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany; an interfaith column published for three decades in The Evangelist; and the acceptance of Roman Catholics into the Capital Area Council of Churches.
"None of this would happen without the leadership of our bishop," Father Kane noted.
The priest, who's also pastor of St. Patrick's parish in Ravena, has been interested in ecumenism since childhood - even though he grew up in what he calls the "Irish [Catholic] ghetto" in Buffalo.
He was ordained a priest for the Ogdensburg Diocese in 1971 and moved to the Albany Diocese in 1976. He's served at seven parishes here, including two stints at St. Helen's (now Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha parish) in Schenectady.
Right for job
Father Kane's dialogue with other faith communities made him the perfect candidate for the ecumenical director position.
"The bishop saw me at one too many ecumenical events," he explained.
Father Kane describes ecumenical relations since then as "cyclical. You don't do away centuries of misunderstanding quickly," but "we have moved away from a lot of disagreements on dogma."
Internationally, Catholics and Protestants found common ground in the 1980s and '90s, but the issues that still divide denominations today "tend to be moral and ethical," Father Kane said, giving the examples of abortion and gay marriage. Many people of other faiths question the Catholic Church's stance on ordaining women to the priesthood, he said.
"The divisions are as within as they are between," Father Kane added. "Catholics themselves struggle with these moral issues."
In an interesting twist, issues that separate Catholics and their mainline Protestant peers often unite Catholics with evangelical Christians - although Catholic/evangelical relations have historically been poor.
Good conversations
Father Kane has witnessed healthy dialogue among Catholics and Eastern Orthodox churches, Oriental Orthodox churches, Eastern Catholic churches and the Polish National Catholic Church. One of the most successful forays into the interfaith world has occurred with Roman Catholics and Jews in the Albany Diocese, dating back to a dialogue committee that started in the late 1960s.
Father Kane and Bishop Howard J. Hubbard accompanied groups on three goodwill trips to Israel in the 1980s, leading to the event at the cathedral.
"The Jews call Howard 'our bishop,'" Father Kane told The Evangelist. "They love him."
The priest said that dialogue has been slower with Muslims. The Diocese has sponsored Catholic/Muslim dialogue events for at least six years; since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Father Kane has delivered 30 "Islam 101" presentations at Catholic parishes.
"There's very little knowledge of Islam out there," he explained, and non-Muslims are often misinformed about Muslim beliefs: "It's not a religion of violence and hatred."
What's to come
The next bridge Father Kane would like to forge is between the Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) - especially in advance of presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a Mormon, winning the Republican nomination.
Although the Vatican doesn't recognize Mormon baptism, 97 percent of Mormons consider themselves Christian. Very few ecumenical groups include Mormons, but the faith should be included in the areas of mutual understanding and respect, Father Kane said.
The priest also has ties with local Sikh, Buddhist and Hindu communities. He said he aims to keep promoting mutual respect and understanding, particularly with Islam.
"You want to build bridges locally that sustain the weight and pressure of international events," he said. "Ignorance breeds contempt, so the more we know about the other, the more we are respectful."
Congratulations
Father Kane's first 30 years as ecumenical director have made an impact on faith communities throughout the Albany Diocese. "He goes to great lengths to reach out to people of different faith traditions," said Rev. Donna Elia, pastor of First United Church in Hoosick Falls and executive director of Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM), an ecumenical group. "That's who he is. I think he's conveyed a sense of openness and welcome."
Rev. George Brennan, pastor of Our Lady of Hope parish in Copake Falls and executive director of the ecumenical Capital Area Council of Churches, called Father Kane "an unusually dedicated person. His energy and enthusiasm is very, very commendable."[[In-content Ad]]
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