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Print Edition » Culture of Life

It Is Not Good for Man to Be Alone

Family Matters: Single Life

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by Tom Crowe, Register Correspondent Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 7:24 AM Comments (42)

Single guys today do not dwell on or fret about our singleness. We have no biological clock ticking away our fertility. We are more naturally disposed to resist commitment and to remain stags, free to roam, than the wonderful and mysterious creatures known as women.

The nearest thing we have to a sense of commitment urgency happens when (if) we realize that we want to get married while we still have youthful energy to enjoy married life and the flexibility to roughhouse with kids without wrenching something.

Often, that’s not enough to overcome the inertia of the single life and its conveniences.

Let’s face it: Being a guy at liberty in your mid-30s can be fun. Set your own schedule; spend your money as you see fit; indulge slightly irresponsible hobbies; eat unhealthy food; have another beer; and avoid going to the dentist. All without anyone nagging you to shape up and come home.

But while it can be fun, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy, and there always remains a restlessness.

St. Augustine prayed, "You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."

More deeply, you need someone whom you can let inside. Not just a professional in a well-appointed office whom you pay to ask uncomfortable questions, but someone whom you trust to be gentle with the most delicate parts of your heart; someone who can help you really heal and grow, to really know God better. Someone with beautiful eyes, a captivating gaze and that certain sense that disarms your carefully crafted defenses and loves you to God.

In other words: "It is not good for man to be alone."

Surely the Creator was on to something when he uttered these words just before fashioning Eve from one of Adam’s ribs.

This is the first time God declares something "not good." God declared all of creation "good," "good," "good," and finally "very good." But he draws the line here. Even before Original Sin enters, God tells us, "It is not good for man to be alone."

It is "not good" for man to fly solo. "Not good" for man to forsake community. "Not good" for man to go it alone.

Man, to be fully who he is meant to be, must find himself in others, and especially in another, so he might come to know the Other: God.

In the short term for us single guys, that means being as present and accessible as is prudent to roommates, family and friends. Help with moving, fixing, watching the kids, whatever. Get involved in others’ lives, giving of yourself, so you might not forget how to give.

But it means much more in the long term: remaining open and bold in pursuit of God’s will. Is marriage your vocation? If so, is she in your life already? If she possibly is, pursue her — you won’t know until you overcome your inertia, set aside your issues and pursue her.

For some, the call is not to a flesh-and-blood bride, but to the bride of Christ, the Church, as a priest or religious brother. Strange as it may seem, a priest fully living his single, celibate priesthood, truly father to all in his care, is among the least "alone" men on earth.

Whatever the call — and you may not know finally until the vows are exchanged or the bishop’s hands are laid on your head during ordination — the call doesn’t go away just because you ignore it or time passes. That which God declares "not good" remains "not good."

It is for us to pursue the good, the only full way to pursue God.

Tom Crowe is the Web content editor at Franciscan University of Steubenville,

a former seminarian and a contributor at CatholicVote.org. Follow him on Twitter @TomCrowe.

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Posted by Rose Sweet on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 10:33 AM (EDT):

Good insights, Tom, into the minds of many men who resist being “chained”. However,in my work as an annulment advocate in the Church, I hear the stories of divorced men who did not want to be single, who enjoyed the married state and who want to marry again (soon!) if the Church will permit. With them it is not just sex, they long for the comforts of and communion with woman.  I also work with human temperaments and know that many men have what our culture might call a feminine bent - strip away the cultural veneer of macho man and they are the sensitives who are often more nurturing than the woman they marry! There are also many women who are more “masculine” in their outlook (me being one!)but at the same time we all retain our uniqueness as male and female souls.  We are fascinating creatures, we men and women, of course “fearfully made”!

Posted by richard on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 10:54 AM (EDT):

Start now while you are young and strong.

Posted by JamesIgnatius on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 11:14 AM (EDT):

It is stuff like this that destroys lives of otherwise well-adjusted single men who genuinely believe God is calling them to the single life.  Some of the finest Catholics I have ever met have been faithful, single laypeople. JPII himself, as a young man, recognized a lay mystic as a formative force in his early life.
Instead, single men are softly bullied or falsely shamed into marriages or ordinations for which they were not called.
Put another sign on your pole, Tom.  Men & Women can live happy, generous lives in Christ’s service as single laypeople.

Posted by TM on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 1:06 PM (EDT):

Thank you JamesIgnatius. The name of the mystic:Jan Tyranowski. Link here to a bit of information about him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Tyranowski

Posted by bradley nartowt on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 1:19 PM (EDT):

...On the other hand: one should not enter a relationship out of avoidance of loneliness. You will probably meet someone else who’s avoiding being alone, and that person will expect you to make them feel “not alone”. You’ll probably do the same, and the relationship will remain in a state of great frustration. It is a bad feeling: being alone while physically and socially “close” to someone.

Posted by Fr. Edwin Palka on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 2:21 PM (EDT):

JamesIgnaius, If God is truly calling someone to the “single life” as a vocation, they should approach the bishop and become a consecrated virgin. Short of that, or something similar to it of which I am not aware, the single life is simply a temporary state (that may or may not continue throughout life) unless and until the “right one” comes along, whether that “right one” is a member of the opposite sex or the Church. A true vocation, on the other hand, entails a lifetime commitment, either to a human spouse (until death do you part) or the church. Consecrated virgins, religious brothers and sisters, deacons and priests all have lifetime calls and make lifelong vows/promises. If they are later attracted to the married life they do not have the freedom to simply pursue that call. A single man/woman without any lifetime commitment could easily decide to simply give it up and get married or become a religious or cleric. To me, at least, that doesn’t sound like a vocation.

Posted by I'mNotChoosingSingleness on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 4:51 PM (EDT):

I respectfully disagree with JamesIgnatius.  While many of us are single because of the circumstances of life, it’s hard to believe God would CALL someone to live a life alone unless they were living under vows.  We are all called to live for someone else, whether that’s the Church & Christ or another as a spouse.  Those of us who are single must strive to use our singleness for others—but without a vow, that is very, very difficult to do.

I know way too many wonderful single Catholic girls who are probably single because of what Tom describes—not because God has called a ton of men to live single lives outside of vows.

Posted by organum on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 5:19 PM (EDT):

In these conversations of vocations I often wonder what I am supposed to do as a gay Catholic.  I cannot marry another woman for obvious reasons, I am banned from religious life since I am gay and yet it is not good for me to be alone. Gays are often portrayed as sexually indulgent and they are equally demonized for wanting to live in a committed relationship.  It is not easy being gay and Catholic.  It is even worse when you have a heart attack and you have nobody at home to help you.  Perhaps the Church should just be honest and say they don’t want people like me - kind of like the Boy Scouts have done.

Posted by Jon on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 5:38 PM (EDT):

@I’mNotChoosingSingleness: When you wrote, “While many of us are single because of the circumstances of life, it’s hard to believe God would CALL someone to live a life alone unless they were living under vows.”

I don’t agree with that. There are plenty of fine folks who for one reason or another aren’t really cut out for either the married life or a life in religious orders. This does not make them bad. What about gay people, for example? They, surely, have been called to live a life alone, if you agree with the teaching that being gay is not immoral but acting on it sexually is (unless you go in for that reparative therapy dreck). There are others with medical conditions that make it nearly impossible for them to fully participate in married/parental life.

You add:  “We are all called to live for someone else, whether that’s the Church & Christ or another as a spouse.” But why stop at those two? You can’t think of any other ways to live a life for of service to others without religious orders or marriage? I sure can.

 

 

Posted by dave on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 5:56 PM (EDT):

@jan, maybe you could start by not blaming the Church for your orientation and difficulties?

Posted by RMW on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 6:35 PM (EDT):

I agree with those who speak of the vocation to ‘singleness’ and agree that needs to be another sign on the pole so to speak.  Especially in regard to those with same-sex attraction.
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However, what needs to occur with these men and women is to be single and not seek out dating relationships.  I’ve heard from too many young women who in trying to find a husband find men - via Catholic dating services - who they date for awhile and then hear - ‘well, I’m actually not looking for marriage but think I might be called to be single!!”  How frustrating for them.
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Such a phrase comes across as insincere and hurtful to the young woman across the restaurant table.  Discovering one’s vocation is not easy in today’s society but be aware of other’s feelings is required in all circumstances.

Posted by JamesIgnatius on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 6:41 PM (EDT):

@Dave - Jon was not dumping on the Church and he makes valid points contrary to this article.

@I’mNotChoosingSingleness - You can certainly respectfully disagree with me, but there are millions of single Catholics living happy lives in the service of others; ...Maybe divorced from an abusive marriage, maybe sensing a same-sex orientation and working to lead a chaste life, or maybe just single and serving with a faith-filled witness.

Christ said as much when He stated that “For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

Posted by Sherie Snypes on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 7:42 PM (EDT):

Great points, Tom Crowe. I am in that stage in my life. We are social creatures, and I don’t think God made me to be alone. I am ready to find a special friend, or companion, in which to share my dreams, and my tears!!! I have been alone for many years. Please say a prayer for me., Thanks again for your advice, based on scripture!!!

Posted by Kristin on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 8:46 PM (EDT):

Organum, we definitely want you, and it hurts to hear that you don’t feel welcome. Chastity isn’t easy for anyone, and I admire your honesty with yourself and your desire to follow Church teachings.

Maybe I’m wrong about this, but I think a vocation consists of doing what God wants you to do right here and now. That could include pursuing marriage, priesthood, or religious life, but it might not. As long as your life is centered on God and others, that’s what matters.

Posted by K C Thomas on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 8:48 PM (EDT):

Sherie may be right in her thoughts. It is one’s responsibility to be loyal to his / her chastity.  Believing the words of Jesus ” Do not be afraid, I am with you always ” if we live, it will be marvellous

Posted by savvy on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 9:39 PM (EDT):

organum,

There are many consecrated singles in the church. This is another vocation. Most of the ones I have met are women, but it would be nice to see more men :)

 

 

Posted by Nick on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 9:40 PM (EDT):

While this story might reflect the perspective of some single men, it completely misses or ignores the dilemma of many other single, Catholic men. I am a 23 year old man and can say that, for me and several of the few faithful young guys I know, the loneliness and often, pain, of the single life are very much at the forefront of our minds. Our loneliness is often the mixed product of several realities within the modern Church. First, while our ranks have been growing, there are still relatively few faithful youth within the Church looking for faithful spouses.  Second, while we may want, very much, to give ourselves in service to our family or local church, many of us are made to feel as if we don’t belong in our parishes or (even worse) our families, because we take our faith seriously. I think it is time for the Church to seriously address the concerns of single people within the faith, and it worries me that the perspective I read in this story seems to miss the reality of life for many single, Catholic men.

Posted by Pam on Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 11:43 PM (EDT):

Organum, I am sorry for your struggle. As long as you define yourself primarily by your sexual orientation you can not heal.  Christ is greater than any temptatiton. By labelling yourself by it you are nursing it and keeping Christ at arms lenghth. Your true identity is your Christianity.  Anything that can harm your relationship with Christ is an unwelcome danger. If you are a Catholic then you have set your sights on things above, the truth of life after death, and any gravely sinful thought should be rejected immediately. But you seem to want permission to live the temptation. That hurts you and is in opposition to your faith.

Posted by savvy on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 12:03 AM (EDT):

It’s important to spend a lot of time in prayer. That’s the only way to know what vocation one is being called too, and where God is leading someone. It also helps to be active in a parish group or other faithful catholic groups by volunteering, so you can meet like-minded people and will not be alone.

Posted by Micha Elyi on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 6:20 AM (EDT):

Thanks Tom Crowe, for demonstrating that men are more romantic in their outlook than females.

And to females the takeaway is: Females of the world, repent.  You have nothing to lose but your feminism.

Posted by Erin Pascal on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 7:45 AM (EDT):

There has been a lot of interpretations of this Bible passage; but I certainly do not think God meant for this passage to be taken as a command for men to get married. God has plans for each of us; His will may or may not be for a man to find a mate. All of us have distinct roles that God has given, and I do not think a person’s marital status could deter the Lord from using a person for His work. God does not play favorites so whether you’re single or married He openly welcomes us into His presence through Christ.

Posted by Pam on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 9:12 AM (EDT):

Tom, It seems you are saying men have a tendency to be selfish and get into trouble and look at marriage as a burden.  Oh how awful to have to cooperate with another human being who is not just like you but whose strengths make up for your weaknesses and vice versa.  Your answer is that a woman manipulate you into tolerating or even liking this burden.  I think you have it all wrong.  You are a man when you see your faults and work to overcome them.  You are a boy when you want someone else to do the heavy lifting.  We need our boys to grow into men and a Church that leads them to manhood, not one that says its the woman’s fault if the man isn’t happy because she didn’t seduce him into submission.  Also the Church I grew up in always recognized a vocation to the single life. That doesn’t mean the selfish, self-absorbed life, but life in service and single. Don’t know who is saying differently.

Posted by Eileen on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 11:26 AM (EDT):

After observing the world around me, there can be no doubt that some people, if they are not called to the religious life, should remain single at least at the present time.  Just watch any wedding reality show and the vast majority of brides on there are putting waaaay too much importance on trivial things - that sort of outlook does not bode well for a marriage.  Marrying for the sake of marrying seems like a really bad idea.  In yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, there was an article about how the right interior decorator saved a couple’s marriage.  He likes stark minimalism while she likes plush luxury.  Alright.  I can’t say that my husband and I have ever fought over decor, so I’m not sure I can really relate, but if their lifestyle preferences so strongly grate upon each other, should they have married each other in the first place?
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If a man or a woman is content not to be married, then he or she shouldn’t marry.  But a present lack of desire to marry doesn’t mean he or she will always feel that way.    I don’t believe anyone has any business marrying until they have met the one person they really don’t want to live without.    Life is hard enough without being stuck with someone with whom you could easily live without.  While my desire to marry existed before I met my husband,  I lacked the specific desire to marry anyone until I met him. 
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Thanks to the NCR commenters,I have become much more aware of singles in my parish.  I now make an effort to invite them to include them in the life of our parish.  I married when I was thirty and quite frankly I didn’t want to be involved in my parishes (other than attending Mass) when I was in my 20’s.  I sort of get the same impression by the majority of the 20 somethings I see in my own parish.  But most of the late 30 and 40 (and 50 and 60) somethings, I now can sense feel differently.

Posted by jw on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 1:17 PM (EDT):

I love this…as a single woman this has been my prayer “God, it is not good for me to be alone…ok yes you said this of all men but me especially this is not good…please fix it…” Hasn’t worked yet but I still have hope!

Posted by MLsouth on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 1:50 PM (EDT):

A priest once told me that so called “vocations crisis” is in reality a fear of commitment. Men are afraid to commit to either being a priest, or being married, or to do anything that requires sacrifice, the self-giving kind that Christ calls us all to. As you say above, being single and in your 30’s can be a very comfortable life. The other problem is that women have made it too easy for men. Men no longer need to work at wining over a women’s heart and women no longer expect commitment (aka: marriage) in order to give away the most intimate part of themselves. Women need to raise the bar, and men need to step up to the challenge. That being said, for those still single, the best they can do is find a cause they can serve in. It is in loving another that we see the face of God (Les Miserables). When you serve your heart is full!!

Posted by Eileen on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 2:16 PM (EDT):

@MLsouth - I think it runs both ways.  Women today can have a home and children without a man.  In our broken world, for every 30 something man afraid to commit, there’s a 30 something single mother who’s pretty much done with men except as sexual partners.  A man needs to make it worth the woman’s while to commit.    Who wants a man who needs a woman “nagging [him] to shape up and come home”?  A woman can have that kind of relationship with her child.  And here’s a tip for the author- happy marriages don’t run on that dynamic. 

Posted by Alicia Nguyen on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 2:43 PM (EDT):

Organum, the Catholic Church calls for gay, lesbian, heterosexual, everyone to live a Chasity lifestyle.  The CC banned gay from religous life for many credible reasons, more research will give you further explanation on this topic. The CC NEVER “portrayed gays as sexually indulgent and they are equally demonized for wanting to live in a committed relationship”, they portray themselves as is and convey that message to society so. In fact the CC is more than ready to canonize a gay saint if there is one worthy. 

“It is not easy being gay and Catholic”, it is not easy being a practicing Catholic, period, let me tell you, ask any serious practicing Catholic, NOT the cafeteria one, please!  Young and old alike.  For example, the message of Christ “love your enemies as yourself” but Jesus…. he just split on me and then pushed me onto the pavement, my head slammed on the cement just because he does not like my dog peeing on another neighbor’s tree (NOT HIS) on the side walk….Yep child, love your enemies…forgive him, pray for him, oh man!!! are you serious.  That was my own true experience.  There are countless life experiences in our daily life we, as Christians are called to be, Christ like.  But hey, we are on a journey, this world is not our home, Heaven is, if you “misbehave” in this life time, say 100 years…the consequences will be for eternity.  Continue to be strong Organum, pray more, keep yourself busy with charity work, even Jesus has to fight temptations let alone us as weak human being. 

Lastly the CC does not reject people like you, rather people like you reject and abandon the Church, you want the Church to change Her teachings to fit your lifestyle, wishes and agendas, regardless of the Church’s own teaching.  We must be humble in being human.

 

Posted by Patti.RCIA on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 4:59 PM (EDT):

“...while we may want, very much, to give ourselves in service to our family or local church, many of us are made to feel as if we don’t belong in our parishes…”
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That is precisely the reason that I firmly believe all parish pastors should implement a program to become a more welcoming parish. One of the questions I posed to my own Msgr. was, “Does our parish, parish staff and committee members make it appealing to young men to want to “work” for “us” as an “employee” (priest)?” 
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Just because a woman is divorced from an abusive husband shouldn’t make her any less desirable (if her marriage can be annulled), and it certainly shouldn’t mean that she’s destined to spend the rest of her life as a single or in service to the Church.  (Not that there’s anything wrong with choosing to do so; Judith comes to mind.) 
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My ex-husband was of the sort that had I stayed with him, I’d most likely be dead; but sadly sometimes, rarely, I wonder if that would have been better than being alone with the forces of the secular world beating upon my door day in & day out begging me to have sex with men I barely know, and upon my refusing being tossed aside the next day for more vulnerable women.  (Yes, I mean vulnerable - even a woman who gives sex freely to anyone is doing so because society has taught her that it is an expected norm.)

 

Posted by Eileen on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 5:51 PM (EDT):

@RMW - We have a dear friend who began saying that exact thing.  Then he met the right woman at the age of 46 and was married ten months later.  I think “I may be called to be single but like dating” can be another version of “it’s not you, it’s me” or “I like you as a friend.”  I know for myself I dated three men seriously in my 20’s, all of whom wanted to get married.  I couldn’t think of a reason to break up with them - they were nice men, they were good Catholics from nice families.  They had good jobs and I knew they’d make good husbands and fathers.  But I strung them along until they’d eventually go away.  (I know it wasn’t nice of me, and I’m not sure I always did it intentionally). 
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In retrospect, the reasons I gave them for not marrying them were absurd, given the circumstances when I eventually did marry.  I had told them “I can’t marry you because I need to pay off my student loan debt/I need to work on my career for a few more years/I’m not ready to be a mother.”  But when I met my absolutely drowning in debt husband, we married a year to the day later, I got pregnant on our honeymoon, chucked my career and become a stay at home mom.  I gave my reasons for not marrying those other men, but either I was lying to myself or sparing their feelings and I’m honestly not sure in every case which it was.  My guess is a Catholic man who is still dating is still hoping he’ll meet the right woman.

Posted by Tomas on Monday, Jan 28, 2013 6:14 PM (EDT):

I’m a 40 yr old Catholic married man of two children. I got married at 32 and experienced great personal and spiritual growth being married and especially having children. I wouldn’t go back to being single if I could (though I’ll admit I wouldn’t mind some more free time!)


However, I have to take exception with the author’s everybody-must-be-married mindset. “The nearest thing we have to a sense of commitment urgency happens when (if) we realize that we want to get married” Why is the “if” in parenthesis and not the “when”? Because its unthinkable that a could be called to be single? Not everyone is called to be married.


The author also tacitly assumes every single guy in his mid 30s who isn’t married or a priest is leading a pointless, self indulgent existence that can only be alleviated by a wife. I find this attitude as patronizing and and narrowed minded as the outside culture’s portrayal of all married people as miserable slaves who hate their lives and their screaming kids.


And why is mid 30s this special age by which every guy needs to be married or taken vows? My uncle married at 43 and he’s quite happy.


“In the short term for us single guys, that means being as present and accessible as is prudent to roommates, family and friends. Help with moving, fixing, watching the kids, whatever. Get involved in others’ lives, giving of yourself, so you might not forget how to give.”


The above sounds like a great way to live for anybody, single or married.


“But it means much more in the long term: remaining open and bold in pursuit of God’s will.”


Again, do this single or married.


The Church should be a loving, Christ centered place for single guys to come and discern their vocation (whatever it is) away from the anti family, anti children, and anti child atmosphere of the outside culture; not a place to be pressured into pairing off in response to pressure to not be alone or seem “weird” for not being married.

I’d also like to add a little to the following:


“Is marriage your vocation? If so, is she in your life already?”


Is marriage not your vocation? If not then don’t stay with a woman whom you have no intention of marrying.


“If she possibly is, pursue her — you won’t know until you overcome your inertia, set aside your issues and pursue her.”


If she possibly isn’t, don’t pursue the closest, safest female because you’re too afraid to face the fact that you’re not called to be married. Set aside your issues of wanting to fit in at Church, or to be a grown up, or to fit in with all your married friends, and do not pursue her.

Posted by Tom on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 2:30 PM (EDT):

Single is not a sacrament.  There is no special grace of state which applies to being single.  Single is about unrealized potential and transition.

We have a general vocation to be holy.  There are primary vocations of marriage and religious life.  There is the specific vocation of what we do in daily life. 

It is perfectly possible to live a holy, saintly life as a single person, in keeping with the general call to holiness.

However, the Church recognizes the complete gift of self that comes from a primary vocation as a higher and more perfect state than that of the unvowed single life.

It is totally not the same to live a commitment-free single life a la “Seinfeld” or “Friends”—even assuming no sex involved—than to live as a celibate in the consecrated life. 

Jan Tyranowski may have been single, but he lived a life of intense prayer and asceticism that is light years ahead of the typical single lifestyle.  If you think God is calling you to be single, you have to ask, why?  What is he calling you to?  He may be calling you to something that precludes marriage, at least for the time being, but he is NEVER asking you just to be single just because you’ve always been.  He is never asking you to be single out of pure inertia.

As a single Catholic man in my late forties, I can assure you that singleness gets increasingly stale as time goes on. 

As for Catholic men who think they can play in their thirties and then, pushing 50, find a nice Catholic woman in her 20s who wants to have their babies, listen to their music, and be their caretaker when they get old, they should forget about it.  The women are just not interested. 

You will also learn that for every year after age 35, your opportunities to meet eligible women your own age also diminish. 

Unless you are totally sure you want to be single forever, you need to ask yourself why at an early age.  Otherwise, you are very likely to be in a permanent state of missed vocation. 

Recall that it was Socrates, not the Church, who first said “The unexamined life is not with living.”

Posted by Patti.RCIA on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 3:51 PM (EDT):

Tom, I think this applies to men and women… for myself I’d change your wording to:

As a Catholic woman in my late thirties, I can assure you that singleness gets increasingly stale as time goes on.

Most men 35-50 seem to be looking for women in their 20’s instead of women closer to their own age to have their babies, listen to their music, and be their caretaker when they get old.

You will also learn that for every year after age 30, your opportunities to meet eligible men your own age also diminish… and finding an eligible practicing Catholic man who believes in the fullness of the faith and holy Tradition is like finding a needle in a haystack.

For a bit of humor, I’ll add this; I can go to a party where there are at least 50 eligible single men 35+ and the only single man (or men) I will be attracted to is the priest in plain clothes who hasn’t yet told me his profession.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013 6:25 PM (EDT):

Two things come to mind in this article regarding “It is not good for man to be alone.  The author has totally left out Paul’s instruction to become equally yoked with a believer.  If your potential spouse is not Catholic or Christian you will always have a spiritual barrier in the marriage.  You will never be as close, as intimate as the Lord designed marriage from the beginning.  This does not mean you cannot have a successful marriage, but it will not be as fulfilling as God desires for you.  A couple who is spiritually bonded in Christ will be “as the days of Heaven on earth.”
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.
The second issue deals with those posts by gay Catholics who are not allowed to marry or have sexual relations outside marriage.  This issue has been exhaustively covered in the past and frankly, most of us are tired of enabling you.  What entitles you to a “protected class” category?  You’re not “that” special so get over yourself.  Do what straight singles are required to do and just keep your pants on.

Posted by eddie too on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013 6:42 PM (EDT):

single people have far more time to serve others in need than do married people who must devote most of their time to their spouses and children.  single people have many more opportunities to witness to the non-catholic than do priests whose primary responsibility is to serve the faithful.  if a single person has discerned that they should commit their lives to the single state permanently, i agree with the priest who recommended they publicly state their commitment to a a life as a dedicated virgin.  however, the search for knowing and understanding the Lord’s plans for our lives is not necessarily based on other people’s idea of the appropriate timetable.  so long as a catholic seeks and remains open to the Lord’s will for them, they need not concern themselves with whether they are single or married or in religious vows or publicly dedicated to a life of virginity.  the essential factor for a fruitful grace filled life is seeking to know, understand and live according to God’s plan.  do not fret or worry about tomorrow for today has enough concerns of its own.  i do find it a little arrogant for some to claim they know God’s plans for everyone else and to accordingly place limitations on how others might or even should respond to God.  if a person is struggling with discerning God’s will for them; or, is unhappy with the way their life is proceeding, they they should by all means seek counsel from someone with a visible commitment to the catholic faith and a proven maturity whom they feel comfortable and whom they hold in high esteem.  beyond that, it seems to me perfectly acceptable that people learn through the passage of time what God’s plan for them might be and as i stated earlier, it seems arrogant to tell others that they are not meeting some imaginary timetable devised by others.

Posted by eddie too on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013 6:58 PM (EDT):

it seems to me there are as many callings from God as there are human beings.  i advise all to tread lightly when placing expectations and limitations on how others should answer God’s calling.  by all means, if you feel confused or unhappy in your current state of life, seek counsel from another catholic whose opinion,knowledge and holiness you respect.  but in the end, we will all be judge by how we responded to God’s call.  of course, unless we actively seek to know and understand God’s will for us our response should be open to questioning.  but, on the other hand, who but God really knows the heart of a human being.  i would point out that the catholic who is living a single life in accordance with the teachings of the church is more available to the needy than the married catholic who must put their spouse and family before the needy.  the single person is also more available to evangelize the unchurched than is the vast majority of the ordained and members of religious orders whose responsibilites require to spend much if not most of their time serving the needs of the faithful.  there is so much that can be said about answering God’s call that i would recommend we all tread lightly in criticizing the manner (unless of course it involves public sin) in which another appears to be responding to God.  i am confident there are many soul’s in heaven who lived an unconsecrated single life.  finally, i believe if a person is called to the married life they will meet someone they find irresistible.  if they are called to the religious life, they will not rest easy until they answer that call.  if they have not met that person or are confident that they are not called to the religious life or to a dedicated single life, i recommend they patiently live their life practicing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.  there are so many in this world who are in desperate need of a helping hand.

Posted by laura on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013 10:52 PM (EDT):

Jeepers, Tom.  I think my husband is still living like a single guy.  Now I’m going to go yell at him.

I hope you can hear it over there at your house.

Posted by Patti.RCIA on Thursday, Jan 31, 2013 10:42 AM (EDT):

Eddie,  I agree that there are as many vocations as there are people but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t “major” vocations with various “minors”.  St. John (Don) Bosco said that “One in ten* boys has a priestly vocation.”  The problem is that less than one in a thousand is seriously discerning.

*I’ve also heard him quoted as saying “One in three.”

Posted by Ed Mays on Thursday, Jan 31, 2013 1:53 PM (EDT):

The Catholic Church recognizes that there are gay men and women in their midst but they are not to follow their heart`s and their natures desire?? Please.  If we all are created in the likeness of God then we must be accepted as we are in the tens maybe hundreds of millions worldwide. When I know that I am not fully accepted by my human church then I know that I am right with God.

Posted by john on Wednesday, Feb 6, 2013 3:24 AM (EDT):

Organum, most of what you are reading on here is nonsense.  I do not know where you live, but there are plenty of Roman Catholic parishes around the country (the ones I know are mostly in and around large cities) that will value and cherish you as a gay man whether you are single or in a relationship. If you haven’t yet spoken to a priest or sister who is affirming of you as a gay man, I strongly urge you to search some out and listen to what they have to say. There is no need to live in shame or silence or with a belief that you must remain isolated your whole life for God to love you. God made you who you are and wants to help you find a path of integrity commensurate with who you are. You can be gay, single and Catholic, or gay, in a relationship and Catholic. None of those combinations are mutually exclusive.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Wednesday, Feb 6, 2013 10:39 PM (EDT):

@john:  If you are suggesting sexual relations be one gay or straight outside marriage is somehow approved by God because (your words)—-“God made you who you are” then you are under deception.  The Bible calls this sin.  Even if the Supreme Court validates gay marriage, God’s word speaks clearly that homosexual relations are an abomination in His eyes.  Rationalizing sin

Posted by JP on Friday, Feb 8, 2013 12:53 PM (EDT):

Where is that singles column with Emily Stimpson that NCR announced so long ago?  How come we only get one article every couple of months on single life?  Involuntary singleness and the enormous obstacles faithful Catholics face in getting married is an existential problem for millions of single Catholics over age 30, over age 40, and beyond.

Posted by Bill on Sunday, Feb 10, 2013 8:54 PM (EDT):

Interesting article but it does not discuss the state of marriage or men or women in today’s US. In or out of church how often do boys or men see or hear positive things about being married vs the negative of being men?
How many Catholic women who a good husband focus on man’s income, profession, looks, ect?
Why should a men pursue a women when it is a 50 50 chance that a marriage would end in divorce (mostly initiated by the wife) that would clean out his finances, force him from his home and maybe never see his children?
Why can’t good Catholic women pursue and pay the costs of dating? Are not women equal or the same as men?
Finally Catholic men who critisize the manhood of single men be aware that another traditional way of proving manhood is using your fists.

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