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2006 ARCHIVE
December
Big Words, Cybergeeks, and Singlehood
November
St. Joseph, Unofficial Patron of the Dream Date
Part 2 of 2 parts
October
St. Joseph, Unofficial Patron of the Dream Date
Part 1 of 2 parts
September
Semper Fi, "Always Faithful" - Mary, the Marines, and Dating - Part 2 of 2 parts
August
Semper Fi, "Always Faithful" - Mary, the Marines, and Dating - Part 1 of 2 parts
July
What Is The Church's Moral Teaching on Chastity?
(Excerpted from Chapter III. A Major Challenge: A Chaste, Christian Courtship)
(Part 3)
June
Love and Affection
(Excerpted from Chapter IV, "Understanding Love")
(Part 2)
May
Excerpted from Christian Courtship in
An Oversexed World.
(Part 1)
April
Confessions of an Undercover Virgin
March
Renewing Singles Ministry
February
Body Language: Commentary on the Intersection of Faith, Sex & Culture
January
SINGLES MINISTRY IS VOCATION FORMATION
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| SEPTEMBER 2006: |
Semper Fi, "Always Faithful" - Mary, the Marines, and Dating - Part 2 of 2 parts
Written by Thomas P. Schmierer
July 13, 2006 |
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 Examination of the Catholic Single in Marian Perspective
As we make comparisons between our Catholic Tradition and modern single life, it is often helpful to reflect on possible answers to life's big questions rather than to be supplied with a blueprint. Because of relative gender, the following Marian-based examination of conscience will be slightly focused on single women. Regardless, the attributes found in Mary are also desirable qualities for single men to possess, as well as for single women to seek in the men they date. Any constructive criticism made concerning women, also applies to men since the necessity for Christian virtue has nothing to do with gender.
Examination of date's obedience:
- Do my date and I have a sense of mutual obedience to and reverence for each other? Obedience to God? Obedience to just governmental rule?
- Does my date possess more qualities similar to Madonna, the pop star, or Madonna, the Mother of God? How so?
Examination of date's perseverance:
- Does my date run to the car with a newspaper over his/her hair while it is misting, screaming "It's raining! It's raining! Unlock the car door!"?
- How does my date handle difficult situations? Does he/she adapt and modify to overcome? Does he/she "grin and bear it"?
Self examination of obedience:
- Do I take time to follow political news as a means of fulfilling my civil obligation? Why or why not?(4)
- Do I take time to vote as my civil obligation? Why or why not?
- Do I use the Bible, the Catechism, and the teachings of the Catholic Church on faith and morals as my guide when voting? Why or why not?(5)
Self examination of perseverance:
- When faced with a difficult situation, do I begin to blame someone for poor planning or do I adapt and modify to overcome?
The examination of date is not intended to inspire a man to break up with his girlfriend if she prides herself on being "high maintenance" or a "little princess," but rather to inspire him to gently remind her about some often overlooked Marian qualities as the model bride and mother. On the other hand, if it is a first date and a man's date reminds him of Madonna, the pop star, then he may desire to part ways with the one who is "like a virgin" in hopes of someday meeting someone who is "like The Virgin."(6)
The self examination is intended to inspire single Catholics to look to Mary as a role model and remember that Mary is not only full of grace, but also has the admirable qualities of obedience and silent perseverance.
Dating Advantages of Mary-Inspired Obedience
Sometimes we get obsessed with whatever is important in our lives in a very narrow manner. Some people are obsessed about their careers. Others are obsessed about sports. Still others are obsessed about material things such as what series is a certain BMW or whether a purse is an authentic Louis Vuitton or a fake. The narrower our focus becomes, the blander our personalities can sometimes appear when on a first date.
By keeping an eye on local, state, and world news and putting it into the perspective of Mother Church, you will have much more stimulating conversations when you go on those two hour dinner dates with that special someone. Rather than talking about your career for two hours, you can discuss what God's possible intentions might be for "allowing" the most recent natural disaster and/or whether global warming is an authentic cause for alarm. In this way, you will truly get to know more about each other's core values and grow deeper in intimacy in a stimulating fashion. In all cases, self-improvement that is inspired by Our Lady will lead to better dating opportunities and round out one's character in scintillating ways.
Though it may currently seem unfair that women have received much of the critical spotlight in this article, I assure you that the roles will be reversed in my article on Saint Joseph to be posted next month. The intention of this article as well as all of the articles published on this site that are written by me are to help us to understand one another in our ?inglehood·while continuing to encourage each other to strive for holiness in hopes that we may all obtain the Kingdom of God on the Last Day!
Footnotes
4. Obedience and observing civil obligations are interchangeable in the context of this article.
5. I am aware that this is not directly related to the infancy narrative. As Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mary is part of the same kingdom as Christ, the King. Therefore, Queen Mary would concur on matters of faith and morals with the Church that has been instituted by Christ.
6. This is not to state that a man/woman must be a virgin as a dating requirement, only that he/she should have Marian qualities. Any non-virgin who has repented and gone to Confession is in a state of grace, which is an admirable state.
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