VALPARAISO – The name of the group says it all – Faith, Food and Fellowship.
Adults of all ages gather monthly at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center to attend Mass, share a potluck lunch and socialize for an hour or so, and newcomers are always encouraged to join.
“We started meeting late in 2025, but then paused during the ‘snowbird season,’” explained Liz Engle, a co-leader along with Sheila Olejnik. “Most of us are senior citizens, but we’ve had some younger people join us, and everyone is welcome.”
The routine has been to attend the 12:30 p.m. Mass celebrated on the first Friday of the month, but with a schedule change, that Mass is no longer available, so the group is in the midst of choosing a new meeting day, possibly the first Tuesday or Thursday. After Mass, the group gathers in Avila Hall. “We accept donations for lunch, too, and that money was used to provide chicken tenders today,” said Engle at the Aug. 7 gathering.
“Many of the activities at St. Teresa are geared to the college students, which is natural, but we wanted to add something for adults, too,” said Olejnik. “Some of us volunteer at Café Manna (a free dinner hosted on three Thursdays of the month for all comers), and we have the Community Picnic for everyone (this year set for Saturday, Sept. 19, after the 4 p.m. Mass), but this is a nice way to socialize.”
Anita Beaudoin, who delivers 40 Cafe Manna meals weekly to a local homeless shelter and to the homebound, said she had been attending Food, Faith and Fellowship gatherings since the group was established. “It’s a good way to meet people you see at Mass, but don’t have time to talk to, and to chat with them,” she added.
Olejnik has also two bus trips in the past year for the Food, Faith and Fellowship group and other members of the St. Teresa congregation, one last December to Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in Dolton, Ill., which included dinner at the pope’s favorite pizza parlor, Aurelio’s in Homewood, Ill., “where we ate the Pope Leo Pizza, which comes with extra pepperoni,” explained Olejnik.
The other trip was a recent visit to the University of Notre Dame near South Bend, where they toured the campus and nearby St. Stanislaus Church and attended Mass.
“I’d like to host a Student Day where we would invite the college students to join us so we can get to know some of them,” said Engle. “I’d also like to see more people attend our meetings; the group was getting larger before we stopped meeting last winter, but we have about 20 to 25 coming now. Starting with Mass is a draw, which is why we are planning to switch the day we meet to include Mass.”
Debbie Revor said her favorite dish on Aug. 7 was “the fresh watermelon, but it’s just nice to get together for lunch, no matter the menu.”
George Sperry cast his vote for the chicken, while his wife, Carol Sperry, said the best thing on the menu is always “the friendship, getting to know people.”
Mary Helen Jones said that most of her tablemates attend the 4 p.m. Saturday Mass at St. Teresa, “but getting together for lunch is a great way to visit with each other.”
For more information on future Food, Faith and Fellowship gatherings, call the student center office at 464-4042.
Caption: “We usually all attend 4 p.m. Saturday Mass, but the Faith, Food and Fellowship group gives us a chance to socialize,” said Mary Helen Jones (from left), who joined her husband, Deacon Bill Jones, Joe and Joann Tomasic at the group’s Aug. 7 meeting in Avila Hall at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center in Valparaiso. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
