There’s a lot in this past issue’s opinion piece that I can get behind, especially the comments on Mass.

When home I attend a more traditional Mass with an organ and a choir and all of that, and have had the opportunity to go to a Latin Mass, which was interesting, especially having studied Latin for five years.

Of course, I understand the constraints of a small chapel on a college campus, so I also understand how that could be impractical.

The part that really upset me, however, was the comment about the LGBT club.

I am a member of the club, and the meeting was one of the places I have felt most at home. The people are great and very welcoming, and even though all we did was the seemingly requisite icebreakers (with our own twist), it felt like somewhere I belonged.

I understand full well the traditional stance that the Church takes on homosexuality (and, presumably, other sexualities on the spectrum that aren’t the accepted heterosexuality), but, to me, it seems hypocritical.

An integral part of being Christian is accepting others, something many people seem to have shoved to the wayside in order to follow only what they think the Bible is telling us. Sure, it makes a comment on homosexual behavior, but it also forbids eating a variety of animals, wearing ripped clothing, shaving, tattoos, etc.

Why can we pick and choose what rules to follow so liberally? Rules don’t work like that. Either we need to follow all of them, or recognize all of them as the outdated laws that they are. All of them. Including the ones on homosexuality.

If the picking and choosing of laws as something immoral isn’t a good enough reason to re-examine stances on our LGBT club, perhaps the Pope can convince you. “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” This is the Pope’s stance on homosexuality, so who are us laymen to judge?

From what I’ve seen, every member of the LGBT club has ample good will. They welcome everyone, including straight allies, with open arms–what should be the Christian and Catholic way.

I’m going to end by stepping away from religion and discussing the concept of a safe space. It can be scary, dealing with gender and sexuality on your own. The LGBT club is a safe space to discuss your own struggles and thoughts with people who will listen and respect you, and give you advice if you need it.

Like I said, it’s one of the places that I felt most at home. It’s my safe space, something I look forward to, despite having only been to one meeting thus far. It’s something I know I needed, and I’m sure that there are others who felt the same.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, and I wanted to take the chance to share mine, in a (hopefully civil) response to one I don’t agree with.