Here's the thing.
I'm married.
And I recently attended the National Catholic Singles Conference in Dallas.
Now, don't get too mad. I told my love story recently on the CatholicMatch Institute, explaining the change from my maiden name to married name. I wore my wedding ring at the conference. And I went representing CatholicMatch and answered questions at the CatholicMatch booth at the conference.
So, I was there with a mission, and I did not try to hide the fact that I was married.
But I definitely went with a different perspective than most attendees.
And I loved it. For two reasons.
1. I loved what it did for single Catholics.
Disclaimer so that you don't discount me immediately: I was single not too long ago. I have experienced the good and the ugly of that state in life firsthand: the freedom as well as the waiting, the loneliness, the feelings of unworthiness, the frustration. And on top of that, many of my friends and family are still single and living through that particular state in life right now. In fact, I brought a single friend to the conference with me, and was able to see the conference through her eyes.
Okay, now that you trust me, what did I love? Well, there was a palpable camaraderie and the feeling of solidarity present among the hundreds of single Catholics there. I felt it during the talks, in conversations during lunch and at breaks, at Mass, while getting ready for the dance, at the smaller group dine-around dinner discussions. I even felt it over discussing the strange muffins at the hotel's continental breakfast, or bonding over the rogue crickets that made their way into the conference room.
Despite the fact that the attendees were from all backgrounds and ages (from never married to divorced, from 20 years old to 70 years old, from 43 states and 6 countries) there was a feeling of encouragement and living hope that emanated from the group.
We laughed at Fr. Nathan's crazy interruptions, and wanted to cry at some of his sad stories. We loved Dr. John Van Epp's talk and tried recalling Anastasia Northrop's seven "C" points from her keynote. Mary Bielski moved us women to tears (some from deep emotion, others from intense laughter) and Pat Reidy gave us all hope.
Some singles came to the conference with a newfound hope as they had just started dating someone. One member of CatholicMatch had been on the site for 12 years, and been to many of the conferences, but just recently started dating someone in her own hometown. Another member signed up for the conference around Easter, and a few months later went on a long distance first date that led to a relationship.
Still another member used the conference as a place to meet someone on CatholicMatch for the first time, and we learned that he sent a dozen roses to her hotel room the first night of the conference. (That elicited quite the "awwwwwwwww" from the women who heard the story!).
However, most singles came to the conference quite single with no relationships in sight. And it was the camaraderie, the conversations, the talks, and the Jesus time that they were able to bring back home with them.
2. I loved what it did for me.
I myself took a lot away from the conference. It was so great to meet so many CatholicMatch members in real life! They told me their stories, and gave me valuable advice on how to make the CatholicMatch Institute a better place.
Not only that, but the talks inspired me. I think Fr. Nathan's talk, particularly his last talk, helped me realize that I am always called to something more. Just because we are still seeking our spouse (or if we have just found him, in my case) does not mean we are off the hook from moving forward with Christ. We should never stay stagnant.
He also reminded us that we need a sense of awe in our lives, and that we should foster that sense of awe in others—we should never say "how" to someone's "wow" in his words. I am a very practical person, and sometimes too practical for my own good. So, I needed the reminder to support and embrace people's dreams instead of immediately bringing up what could go wrong or wondering how feasible something is.
So, get ready, because the next conferences are in Phoenix and Pittsburgh in 2017! Stay up to date on the NCSC website.
And did you go to NCSC16? Comment and tell me about your experience! What was your biggest takeaway from the conference?
