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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

student life

‘Welcome and safe:’ Catholic group organizes monthly meal for LGBTQ+ community

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IU graduate student Matt Peisen, 30, is gay and Catholic. His whole life, he has struggled to reconcile his faith and sexuality.

“For a long time, I thought I was defective,” he said. “I have lost friends for being a queer person.”

He only started living openly gay two and a half years ago when he came to IU.

“God wants us to welcome and love everybody, and queer people are a part of everyone,” Peisen said.

He said as he began to accept himself, he found it easier to welcome others.

A few months ago, a friend referred him to an LGBTQ fellowship event through the St. Paul Catholic Center. Every fourth Thursday since last August, this group has gotten together for the event, called Food + Fellowship, at a different person’s house to eat and discuss their lives. Peisen has been attending the event since the beginning.

Peisen started going and said he feels welcomed and comfortable.

“It’s humbling that people, complete strangers, would go through the trouble of making this group, serving food, welcoming people into their homes,” Peisen said.

The presence of like-minded groups at other churches in Bloomington spurred co-founder Cate Racek and her sister’s decision to start the event last August.

“Our intent was really to just be welcoming and safe,” said Racek, a parishioner at St. Paul’s who works in IU’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

She said many people have come up to her and said they’re glad the group exists and that it’s about time.

The event brings people together grows and more people each month come to the meals, Racek, said.

She said many students who have attended the meals have told her how grateful they are for her group and how welcome they feel.

“Just a small little thing went a long way,” Racek said.

She decided to make dinners the focal point of the event because she remembered her college days being lit up by meals outside of a residence hall, Racek said.

“To go to someone’s home, I think, is special,” she said. “Lots of good stuff happens round the table.”

The church’s pastor, Father John Meany, encouraged the group and often attends the meals, Racek said. Many people come as allies to the community.

“We’re gonna start here, in our parish and in our community,” Racek said.

Natalia Johnson, junior, is gay and exploring Catholicism. She said she started learning more about the religion because of her friends in high school and her partner.

The St. Paul group made her feel safe and welcome while she was there, Johnson said.

“I feel more confident about being in this space,” she said. “I feel like I’m supposed to be there.”

Johnson said her faith and her sexuality have made her grow as a person and helped her grow closer to her partner.  

Attending St. Paul Catholic Center has taught her not to equate religion with hatred or with fear, she said. She said she’s learned to be more accepting of other viewpoints and has always felt loved.

Johnson said the group holds a special spot in her heart.

“For me, it’s a second family,” Johnson said.


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