CV NEWS FEED // The National Eucharistic Congress will feature a panel on Catholic dating on Friday, July 19.
Hosted by the Catholic Project’s communication director Sara Perla and The Pillar Editor JD Flynn, the Catholic University of America-sponsored panel “Catholic Dating: Why Is It So Hard” will explore the ins and outs of the modern dating landscape for Catholics.
The National Catholic Register (NCR) reported the panel will also include six young, single, influential Catholics: CUA marketing and communications specialist Cody Etheridge, speaker and author Chika Anyanwu, author Lillian Fallon, entrepreneur John Mittel, and CatholicMatch content creator Lucas Kaliszak.
The Catholic Project’s executive director, Steven White, explained the significance of the panel: “Catholic dating is on the minds of a lot of people, Catholic marriage rates are in decline, and there is concern about vocations generally.”
A 2023 report from Georgetown’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate said that Catholic marriages declined 69% from 1969 to 2019.
“The best way to meet someone is to go to Catholic events,” stated folk musician Ben-David Warner in the report. “But you should meet in the context of living out your life,” he added: “Don’t just go to events to meet your spouse. Let life happen, live Catholic life and have a Catholic community, but don’t make finding a spouse the only reason.”
The event will also include opportunities for Catholics to meet in person, with food, drinks, and mingling, the event description states.
“Audience participation will be expected!! Come ready to share dating tips, funny stories, lessons learned, and suggestions for the future,” the description said.
