Letter from the President and CEO May 2025

Dear Reader,

As you know, last week the Institute held its 70th Anniversary Platinum Jubilee, which was a chance for our community of supporters to gather together to celebrate seven decades of work at the cutting edge of spirituality and health. It was a powerful evening—one that not only honored our history but also invited us to imagine the future we are still shaping together. Notably, we are grateful that, because of your sponsorships, we were able to give away all our centerpieces to long-term care settings served through the Interfaith Spiritual Care Coalition.

The theme that most stood out to me, across the remarks we heard, was the idea that it is up to each of us to build communities that foster and carry forward the active expression of spiritual life, however that may look in our particular time, place, and culture. This responsibility doesn’t belong only to religious leaders or health professionals—it belongs to all of us, in the ways we listen, care, create space, and show up for one another. The health and wholeness of individuals, families, communities, and societies is predicated on tapping into the innate ability we have to connect with the world around us, our deepest selves, and the transcendent mystery that goes by many names. That connection is both deeply personal and inherently communal.

As we move into the summer season—a time when many of us seek renewal, reflection, and reconnection—I ask you to consider how you are expressing your spiritual life, and what you might do to help others tap into that birthright. Whether through quiet acts of compassion, bold work for justice, or simply being present with one another in moments of truth and vulnerability, we each have a role to play. The world needs it—and we need it, too.

Warmly,
Stuart 

Stuart C. Nelson
President & CEO
Loise Henderson Wessendorff Chair