Article title card over a photograph of a brick church tower against glass office towers. Text reads: For Saint Bartholomew's Feast — Partnering with St Bart's Perth.

Partnering with St. Bart’s for the Feast of Saint Bartholomew

Bymatt@beneaththesurface.au

On Sunday the 27th August 2023, St. Bart’s Perth invited me to the St. George’s Anglican Cathedral to speak about my experiences of homelessness for their Saint Bartholomew’s Feast Day Mass.

Instead of a sermon, Neil Starkie from St. Bart’s and myself took part in Q&A session. Neil provided information about St. Bart’s vital services in Perth & the metropolitan area and I provided some firsthand insights and perspectives into homelessness.

A red brick Gothic-style church with a square bell tower, framed against a modern glass office tower under a blue sky, with wide stone steps in the foreground.
Matt Vapor and another man smiling for a selfie outside a red brick church with a rose window above its arched entrance.
The interior of a brick church during a service, looking down the nave toward the altar where clergy in red vestments are gathered, with the congregation seated in wooden pews.
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Although I freely admit I’m not a religious person in the general sense, the impact of being invited into this space to freely discuss my experiences isn’t lost on me. The way the clergy and members of the congregation welcomed me to share my experiences was one where if truly felt like it didn’t matter what my beliefs are, there was a willingness and eagerness to learn about my experiences and openly reflect on them.

I’ve had the honour of partnering with St. Bart’s for a number of years now, to not only raise awareness about their essential services in the homelessness space, but to also help their staff understand the experiences of homelessness through regular sessions at their staff inductions.

Visit St. Bart’s to find out more about the services they provide.

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