Hysni Selenica, center, greets a visitor at a Thanksgiving interfaith prayer service at the Chicago Temple. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
On November 21, 2018 the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago held its annual Thanksgiving Observance at the Chicago Temple, 69 W. Washington, Chicago, Illinois. The observance is an interfaith gathering where the prayers offered reflect how different faith traditions express thanks to our Creator and which serve as a reminder to open our hearts to those less fortunate.
This year, the prayer for the Muslim community was offered by Hysni Selenica, the first Muslim chaplain for the City of Chicago Police Department. The prayer he offered was on behalf of police officers and other first responders. His prayer asked for the safe return home for police officers after their work shift. Brother Selenica’s words were particularly impactful for the audience in light of his reference to the shooting of a Chicago police officer that occurred the day before at Mercy Hospital.
The Chicago Tribune included Brother Selenica’s participation in the Thanksgiving Observance as a part of an expose of Brother Selenica, the first Muslim Chaplain for the Chicago Police Department.