Connecticut’s New Castle of Kosen-rufu

by Judy Ostrow
Special to the Tribune

Under the brilliant sun of an early spring day, hundreds of SGI-USA members of Connecticut Region and their guests gathered on April 7 to celebrate the opening of a new, state-of-the-art Buddhist center in downtown New Haven, Connecticut.

The two-story 8,180-square-foot building, which replaces the region’s previous quarters in the city of Orange, is the result of years of effort to find a location that would not only be accessible for members around the state, but also be reflective of the cultural and educational roots of this part of New England.

Located just two blocks from the New Haven Green, a National Historic Landmark, and the campus of Yale University, the SGI-USA Connecticut Buddhist Center lies within the Nine Square Plan of the original settlement of the New Haven Colony, founded in 1638.

The grand opening, coinciding with Connecticut Region’s kosen-rufu gongyo meeting, included a Gohonzon conferral ceremony and the announcement of Park City District as North Zone’s first Soka Victory District. Adding to the joyous celebration, the Ikeda Youth Ensemble performed a spirited rendition of “This Is Me,” a life-affirming song from the sound-track of The Greatest Showman, which recounts the career of P.T. Barnum—a Connecticut native.