By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

UNION TOWNSHIP - Mothers play an important part in the world's religions, such as the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus; Yocheved, Moses' mother who puts him in an ark on the Nile to save his life; and Khadijah, the Mother of Believers in Islam.

In the Hindu tradition, a mother is a goddess, as is the case of both Bharat Mata, or Mother India, and Dharti Mata, or Mother Earth.

"Our mothers teach us our family values, our American values, our Hindu values," said Ran Gupta, a life member of the Hindu Society of Greater Cincinnati.

Many local religious groups will observe the secular holiday of Mother's Day.

At the Hindu Temple, 4920 Klatte Road in Clermont County, more than 100 children and their mothers are expected to participate in a celebration at 10:30 a.m. with games, crafts, prayer, music and pizza.

Gupta's wife and mother of their two grown children, Manju, is organizing the event as chairwoman of the children's committee. There will also be a salute to all the mothers of men and women in the military overseas.

Tonight, many will honor the mother goddess with a service from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The four-hour worship service is scheduled a couple of times a month.

St. Peter in Chains Cathedral will honor Mother's Day with a concert of Marian music, pieces that celebrate the life of the Virgin Mary. The 3 p.m. concert at the cathedral, at Plum and Eighth streets, will feature "Ave Maria," "Magnificat," and "Regina Caeli" among others.

"Among Catholics, the month of May is dedicated to Mary, and we thought we'd choose a program of music that honors her," said Anthony DiCello, music director for the cathedral. "Much of the music refers to Mary as the mother of Jesus, and in that context, I think a lot of mothers, especially Christian mothers, can relate to that."

Tickets are $15 and $10 for students. Call 421-2222 or visit www.stpeterinchainscathedral.org.

Next Saturday, at 8 p.m., the Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, 103 Taft Road, will also present a concert titled "Magnificat!" featuring a variety of music about Mary by the Ann Arbor Grail Singers.

Tickets are $7 to $12. Information: Christian Miller, (859) 491-2362.

Presidents and Jews

Rabbi David G. Dalin, author of The Presidents of the United States and Jews, will lecture on the relationship between the presidents and the Jewish community.

The lecture is noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mayerson Hall on the campus of Hebrew Union College, 3101 Clifton Ave.

Parenting video series

The Countryside Community Church in Lebanon is continuing a 13-week video series, "Bringing up Boys." The series, by Dr. James Dobson, aims to help give parents insight into raising healthy children, especially boys.

The series is Sundays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at the church, 1436 Deerfield Road. The same segment is shown both nights of each week.

Information: 932-7363.

To submit religion news, e-mail kvance@fuse.net or fax to 755-4150.