Dating - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

contraception is used or there is no marriage, people are speaking
a lie. They may be saying with their bodies that they give
themselves completely but their actions say they are holding
something back. This dishonesty, as is the case with all
dishonesty, damages trust and thus the relationship.
Thus, a Catholic perspective of dating is incompatible with any
sinful act. Dating, if it is to be a joyful practice in Christian love,
cannot be reconciled with sin or evil.
ImplIcAtIons of tHe cAtHolIc ApproAcH
This booklet is a practical guide, and often practicality is best
understood in terms of what is the case and what should be the
case. Throughout, I have indicated the practical implications of
this Catholic perspective on dating. Here, I wish to highlight
five practical implications that flow through almost everything
that has been said.
Dating relationships should strengthen friendships and family
relationships. If dating is truly a practice in Christian love, then it
should build up our relationships with others, especially those
close to us. If the time a couple spends together undermines their
relationships with their families and friends, their relationship is
going awry. Disapproval from family and friends ought to be a
warning sign about the relationship. While I do not believe the
1880’s practice of “keeping company” is the ideal, hanging out
with families or friends is an excellent dating practice. It teaches
the couple how to relate to each other in the context of a broader
community.
Of course, this openness of dating to family and friends has a
corresponding responsibility for the family and friends. Both
friends and families ought to be open to dating relationships.
They must trust their child or friend and do all they can to
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