A few years ago, as a Catholic single, I created a profile on a Catholic dating website. Even though I knew God was calling me to the vocation of marriage, I hadn’t met anyone locally to discern that vocation with. Curious about online dating (which was slowly becoming more and more popular back then), I loaded a few photos of myself on the profile and filled out a questionnaire about my faith life. Although I didn’t end up meeting my husband online, I was blessed to meet a great group of Catholic friends.
A group of us became friends, swapped phone numbers and got to know each other better. I loved sharing life with other Catholic women. What we found was that we experienced the same struggles as Catholic single women, and their support was an incredible resource.
I still love catching up with these women over social media. Most of us are married now, and a few of us have little people running around the house. It’s beautiful to see how God uniquely worked in each of our lives to bring us to the vocation of marriage. Years later, I’m grateful for their friendship and what they taught me about living life as a Catholic woman.
Finding friends as a Catholic adult is a lot harder than I imagined it would be. It’s not like we can make friends with the ease we did back in kindergarten. Back then, we just had to wear the same shoes or shirt as someone to become their instant best friend.
But as adults, friendship requires intentionality, time, and commitment. Just how can you find Catholic friends today as an adult? Read on for our top six tips about making friends, and the importance of good community in today’s world.
Why should you look for Catholic friends?
We’re made in the image of God, and God is a community of love. God reveals to us that he is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — three unique persons in one God. We too, as human beings, are called to live in community with others.
This is especially true when it comes to community with fellow Catholic friends. Unlike secular friendships, Catholic friendships can push you to become the saint that God created you to be. Catholic friends share your values and encourage you in pursuing a life of holiness.
6 ways to find Catholic friends
If finding Catholic friends as an adult was a simple task, you probably wouldn’t be reading this blog post. It turns out that making friends (especially as an adult!) isn’t that easy. Here are six things to do if you’re looking to invest in relationship with other Catholics in your life.
1. Look for volunteer opportunities
A few months after moving to a new city two years ago, I sat down and caught up with a fellow Catholic single adult in the area. She agreed with me that making friends as a Catholic adult is hard, especially in a new city where everything is new. But then she shared something that surprised me. She hadn’t met the people she considered her best friends at her parish, or at local events for Catholic adults. Instead, she met them while volunteering.
At the organization she volunteered for, she met people who were passionate about the same things as she was. Those friendships grew the more she volunteered, and she became good friends with her fellow volunteers.
Take an internal inventory about your passions and interests. Then, look around your local community for opportunities to give the gift of your time. You’ll be sure to meet people who are
2. Meet friends using Catholic Singles
I never thought that I’d find Catholic friends on the Catholic dating website that I tried out. After all, I created a profile hoping that I would find a guy who wanted to be more than friends. But I’m forever thankful for the community of women that surrounded me as friends during that season in my life.
If you’re looking to meet someone special, but also wanting to get to know fellow Catholic adults better and build community, too, check out Catholic Singles.
Throughout the ages, saints and the church have encouraged us to surround ourselves with friends who will encourage us to grow in our spiritual life. While nothing will ever replace the fellowship we can experience in person, the Catholic online world offers us an opportunity to meet other people who share our faith and our goal of loving Christ more perfectly.
The app is designed for busy Catholic singles. It is easy to use and puts the emphasis on meeting others based on who they are rather than how well they can take a profile picture.
3. Join Catholic Facebook groups
Facebook offers a plethora of groups to join. Prayer groups, groups specifically for men, or groups for women are all over Facebook. Check out this ultimate guide to Facebook groups and pages for Catholics to get you started.
It can get a bad rap, but social media can be a beautiful place for connection. Don’t just stop at Facebook! Check out other social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to meet fellow Catholics, too!
4. Join in on Catholic discussions
Check to see if your local parish or diocese offer adult formation classes. Even if you’ve been Catholic for years, I recommend checking out your local RCIA group. You may not be sponsoring someone coming into the Church, but
You can also find great websites for having discussions with other Catholics.
5. Attend Bible studies
There’s nothing like spending time discussing the word of God, especially with other people striving for holiness. If you’re in college, check to see if there are FOCUS Bible studies led by missionaries on your campus.
If you’re in the work world, don’t be afraid to start a Bible study with other Catholics in your workplace. A friend of mine started a group called “Jesus and Joe” where she and her co-workers get together on a weekday morning before work starts to share a cup of coffee and talk about the upcoming weekend Gospel reading.
Your parish can be an excellent resource for Bible studies, too. Check your local bulletin or call the parish office to see what’s being offered in your parish community. If there isn’t a Bible study being offered, that may be a nudge from the Lord that you could start one up.
6. Check out local Catholic events
Some parishes have young adult groups, and some even have groups dedicated to ministering to single Catholics specifically.
You may not find events at your local parish that support you uniquely as a Catholic single adult. But if that’s the case, don’t be afraid to check out events at surrounding Catholic parishes. In my husband and I’s case, we have found incredible community with a group for Catholic adults on the other side of the city. It’s a little bit of a drive, but the friendships we’ve made thanks to that community are well worth it.
Coming up dry when it comes to any events for young Catholics in your area? Start your own group and invite other Catholic adults to join you! We’re not meant to be islands, after all.
Why should you become a member of Catholic Singles?
Even though online friendships can never be replaced by friendships online, online Catholic websites are a great place to turn to if you’re desiring community. Just like you should be intentional with dating relationships that get started online, you can be intentional with online friendships, too. If you’re turning on your computer in hopes of getting connected to fellow Catholic adults, try Catholic Singles.
Thousands of single Catholics are members of Catholic Singles, an online dating website that’s been matching Catholic singles since 1997.
Every month thousands of new members register and join Catholic Singles to meet other faithful Catholics. While most are here for online Catholic dating, others are here for fellowship and community. Whatever you are looking for – dating, fellowship, or just a fun group of people who share your faith – Catholic Singles can be your home.
