Welcome to Inviting Oneness, a podcast where we explore true stories from friends and members of EquaSion, stories where the illusion of separateness gave way to the deeper truth of our shared humanity. Oneness isn't an idea, it's an experience. And today we continue listening for it one story at a time. 

Our guest today is Mary Anne Bressler. Mary Anne is a Cincinnati native, mother of four and grandmother of 7. She graduated from Xavier University with a Masters of Theology and served at parishes in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky before her current position as the Parish & Community Engagement Coordinator at Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio. 

At EquaSion, we recently launched a new small-group initiative called Faith & Friendship Groups. Throughout the summer, interfaith groups will gather around a range of themes and practices, including Having Difficult Conversations, Prayer, Belong Dinners, Faith Communities in Solidarity with Immigrants, and Sacred Connections, our Religious 101 group that visits different places of worship across the Greater Cincinnati region.

The poem you’ll hear today was written by Mary Anne and it will open all four Faith & Friendship Groups this week and next. After sharing the poem, Mary Anne responds to this connecting question: Where have you experienced belonging in your religious or spiritual life? 

As you listen, we invite you to reflect on that question for yourself.

If today’s story moved you and you’d like to get involved visit us at equasion.org.

Until next time, may we keep inviting oneness—within ourselves, and with one another.