 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| NOVEMBER 2005: |
A REVOLUTION UNDERWAY
NATIONAL CATHOLIC SINGLES CONFERENCE
February 10-12, 2006. Denver, Co.
|
|
The ultimate Catholic Singles event is coming around again and it’s time for you to start making plans to attend.
Last year’s conference was sold out, with over 400 people from more than 30 states. Many attendees said it was the most inspiring, encouraging event they had ever experienced! This year’s event will be even bigger and better!
|
 |
The conference will feature an extraordinary line-up of the best Catholic musicians and speakers, including Archbishop Chaput, Bishop Sheridan, Mary Beth Bonacci, Matthew Kelley, Fr. Tom Loya, Dr. Kimberly Schmidt, and Dave Sloan. There will be workshops tailored to many different interests, including workshops for those who would like to create new groups or tailor existing groups to be more effective and dynamic in reaching singles.
With dances, mixers, hiking and skiing excursions, and lots of prayer and fellowship, this will be another huge step in the revolution taking place in singles ministry.
For many reasons, which are explained later in this article, singles have been least understood, and least included group in the church for the last few decades. That is changing now in a dramatic way, and this conference is a big part of the change. Mary Beth Bonacci wrote of last year’s conference “it is the first step in a really positive, beautiful, healthy revolution.” One attendee expressed the sentiments of many when she stated, “this has been a life-changing experience. I had no idea how much I needed to be here.” Another attendee wrote “Thank you for the terrific conference. I enjoyed every minute of it and came home all fired up! It was so well organized, and the speakers were the best. I got so much out of it. Thank you! Thank you! I’m looking forward to next year.”
Next year’s conference is almost here, and you can register and learn all of the details at http://www.theologyofthebody.net/ncsc_2006/.
MORE ABOUT SINGLE LIFE AND MINISTRY
There are currently over 100 million singles in America, now comprising (as of 2005) a majority of American households.
Perhaps the most compelling demographic shift in the history of civilization has been the shift away from family life and toward single life that has taken place in the last 30 years. Though most singles still want to get married, fewer and fewer are doing so.
Between 1970 and 2000 in the US:
- The number of people between 25 and 34 who were unmarried tripled.
- The marriage rate dropped by almost half and the divorce rate doubled.
- The percentage of Americans living alone increased 2.5 times.
- The percentage of people living alone compared to couples living with children increased over 5.5 times.
(All statistics from www.census.gov).
Traditionally, almost all ministry in the Catholic Church has been family related. Because the shift toward single life has been so recent and so rapid, the Church has not had time to develop much ministry to these huge numbers of singles.
The one thing singles need the most is to be brought into the family life of the Church, to overcome the isolation which is so common in modern life, and is especially experienced by singles.
Once brought into family and community fellowship and active service and participation in the Church, what singles need most is to be given guidance and formation in marrying and forging families of their own. Modern society and culture works ceaselessly to pull people away from the call to family life. Singles need all the help the Church can give in order to overcome this culture and form the families toward which the vast majority of them are called by God.
For some singles, this call to family life will reach fruition in consecrated vocations as priests and religious. However, for all singles the formation needed along most of the journey toward vocation will be the same, regardless of whether their vocation turns out to be married or consecrated.
This is the unique role of singles ministry in the Church today—to reach the 100 million singles who are the only source for future vocations to married and family life.
For much, much more about single life and ministry, and the role of “young adult ministry,” visit www.GodofDesire.com and click “about this site.”
|
|
|
|
|
