Sandra Bossi, a longtime parishioner of Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, had always wondered about the two nearby houses of worship that were different denominations from her Catholic faith.
It bothered her that members of the three churches rarely interacted.
“I figured this couldn’t be right,” she said. “So, I decided to do something about it.”
In fall 2017, Bossi signed up for a course taught by Father Alexei Smith, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ longtime ecumenical and interreligious officer, for people seeking to learn more about working with other religions, faiths, and denominations — taught from a Catholic perspective.
A year after completing “Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations: A Catholic Ministry,” Bossi began working with Smith as his volunteer assistant.
She then established the Ecumenical and Interfaith Ministry at Good Shepherd — still the archdiocese’s only parish to formally have such a ministry.
“It was an eye-opening experience in so many ways,” Bossi said of the course, which included field trips to a Buddhist temple, a Jewish synagogue, an Orthodox Church, and a mosque.
“These visits felt like entering new worlds,” she said. “And doing it as part of the class made it even more special as Father Alexei has so many contacts, and at each location a religious leader of that faith or Christian denomination would meet with us, give us a tour, and answer any questions we might have.”
Beginning in September, Smith will again be teaching that same class, held on Saturdays monthly through June.
This year, he noted, the timing couldn’t be more providential.
Oct. 28 will mark the 60th anniversary of “Nostra Aetate,” an official declaration of the Second Vatican Council promulgated in 1965 by Pope Paul VI. It is the first document in Catholic history to focus on the relationship that Catholics have with Jews and is considered a monumental declaration in describing the Church’s relationship with Muslims and people of other major non-Christian faith traditions.
This year also marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed (“I believe in one God, the Father Almighty…”), a statement of belief that serves as a foundational doctrinal standard for many Christian denominations, particularly in addressing the nature of Jesus Christ and the Trinity.
Smith, pastor of both Saint Andrew Russian Greek Catholic Church in El Segundo and Saint Paul Melkite Greek Catholic Mission (located in the same building), said this year’s course also comes at a critical time.
“One of the late Pope Francis’ favorite phrases was ‘we must journey together,’ and that’s what this course is all about,” said Smith, who in 1987 was ordained a Greek Catholic priest of the eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts.
“The world is so divisive right now, but if we journey together that’s how we will attain unity. And religion should not be divisive. Of course, we have differences, but we must respect those differences and learn where they are coming from and then we must set aside those differences and be able to work together for the betterment of our society.”
Born and raised in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles, Smith has held his archdiocesan position for 25 years.
For five years, he served as president of the Interreligious Council of Southern California. In 2011, he became the first Catholic to be elected president of the Southern California Ecumenical Council.
Smith’s course is a spinoff from one he taught for years at Mount Saint Mary’s College, “Interfaith Dialogue Since Vatican II,” as well as another course, “Current Trends in Ecumenical and Interreligious Thought,” as part of the International Institute of Tribunal Studies in Los Angeles.
Attendees of “Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations: A Catholic Ministry” can take the course for personal growth or to become a certified ecumenical and interfaith representative at their home parishes.
“It was an honor to study with one of the very best in this field,” Bossi said of Smith. “He’s very knowledgeable, but even more important is his lived experience in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.
“There are a great many stories and personal experiences he shares with the course participants, and that's really what makes this course so valuable and enjoyable.”
Deacon Brian Conroy of St. Mel Church in Woodland Hills also took the course.
“Father Alexei’s ecumenical and interreligious experience is a priceless resource for all of us in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles,” Conroy said. “By offering his deep and wide expertise throughout this course, those of us who participated came to a deeper understanding of others and an appreciation for their faith traditions and spiritual journeys.”
“Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations: A Catholic Ministry” will be held Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Sept. 20, Oct. 4, Nov.15, Dec. 6, Jan. 17, Feb. 21, March 21, April 18, May 16, and June 20) at Church of the Good Shepherd, 504 N. Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills. For more information, visit store.la-archdiocese.org/eia-2025 or contact Father Alexei Smith at [email protected].
