Rev. Marie J. Lucca
Founder, Interfaith Minister & Community Educator
Rev. Marie grew up on Long Island in a large Italian-American family. She graduated from Harvard University where she focused on Russian and East European Studies. She then went on to law school and was a corporate attorney and business executive on Wall Street and in Greenwich, Connecticut for several years before heading back to the Boston area to attend seminary at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge. Besides her theology degree, Rev. Marie holds two post-seminary certificates in World Religions/Interfaith/Ecumenism and Youth/Young Adult Ministry, and she teaches courses on cultural, religious and social diversity as an adjunct college professor.
Rev. Marie’s faith journey began as a Roman Catholic. She also participated in the Lutheran, Methodist and Episcopalian traditions for many years before her first ordination in the United Church of Christ. After pastoring to Congregational churches and working as a multi-faith chaplain for terminally ill cancer patients, Rev. Marie’s personal theology evolved to embrace prayers and spiritual practices from a variety of cultures and faith traditions. This led to her second ordination through the Order of Universal Interfaith with vows to serve people of all faiths and no faith equally, especially those who are not affiliated with a particular congregation or religious community.
What is Universal Interfaith?
For many years, the term “interfaith” was used as an adjective to refer to a coming together of people who espouse different faith traditions in order to complete a particular task (e.g. “interfaith dialogue” or an “interfaith worship service”). However, in recent years, a second meaning has arisen. “Interfaith” when used as a noun refers to a spiritual path that integrates teachings, practices and beliefs from several traditional and nontraditional religions, denominations, and ethical systems.
Millions of people today, especially our younger generations, routinely cross boundaries that previously divided religions from one another, and some of them have found a spiritual home not within a particular tradition but in the open and undefined space between them. Unconstrained by a specific religious tradition, yet striving for a personal sense of spirituality and ethics, they engage in a freeform mixing and blending of wisdom, beliefs and practices from many sources. This is Universal Interfaith!
Interfaith clergy promote an inclusive theology and are dedicated to serving the spiritual needs of all who seek their guidance regardless of religious beliefs, race, ethnicity, family structure, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental and physical health and abilities, education, or socio-economic status.
